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G.  Jordan 


£ibrarp  of  trhe  ^theological  ^eminarp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

The  Estate  of 
Ictor  H.  Lukene 

BS2705" 


THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

OR 

PAULINE  IDEALS 


THE  PHILIPPIAN 

GOSPEL  jf0Fn®?, 

MAR  23.1953 

f4LB§tW. 


OR 


PAULINE  IDEALS 


A    SERIES    OF    PRACTICAL    MEDITATIONS 

BASED    UPON  PAUL'S    LETTER    TO 

THE    CHURCH  AT  PHILIP  PI 


W.  G.  JORDAN,  B.A.,  D.D. 

AUTHOR     OF    "PROPHETIC     IDEAS     AND     IDEALS" 

PROFESSOR  .OF     OLD     TESTAMENT    EXEGESIS     IN     QUEEN'S 

UNIVERSITY,    KINGSTON,    CANADA 


New  Fork  Chicago  Toronto 

FLEMING  Ha  REVELL  COMPANY 

London   and  Edinburgh 


COPYRIGHT,  1904 
BY  FLEM  ING  H  . 
KEVELL      COMPANY 


Chicago:  63  Washington  Street 
New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Toronto:  27  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London  :  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh :     30  St.  Mary  Street 


PREFACE 

The  series  of  simple  expository  sketches  con- 
tained in  this  small  volume  are  sent  forth  in  the 
hope  that  thoughtful  readers  will  find  in  them 
something  of  real  suggestion  and  helpful  stimulus. 
They  cannot  take  the  place  of  critical  commen- 
taries or  elaborate  theological  essays;  but,  as  a 
modest  attempt  to  represent  in  modern  words 
some  of  Paul's  great  thoughts,  they  may  perhaps 
have  a  province  of  their  own.  Through  such 
meditations  we  may,  at  least,  learn  that  the  reve- 
lation which  the  great  apostle  received  from  his 
Master  and  ours  is  neither  ancient  nor  modern 
but  a  power  of  life  through  all  time.  The  author's 
thanks  are  due  to  the  Rev.  M.  McGillivray,  D.  D., 
of  Chalmers  Church,  Kingston,  for  his  careful 
reading  of  the  manuscript  and  offer  of  useful 
suggestions.  And  special  acknowledgment  must 
be  made  of  the  service  rendered  by  the  Rev. 
Professor  McFadyen  of  Knox  College,  Toronto, 
who  on  account  of  special  circumstance  took  the 
responsibility  of  reading  all  the  proof. 

W.  G.  J. 

Kingston,  Canada,  January,  1904. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    Introduction 9 

II.    A  Suggestive  Salutation 

(i.  I.  a) 19 

III.  Christian  Fellowship 

('•3-5) 29 

IV.  The  Promise  and  Power  of  Christian 

Experience 

(i-6) 37 

V.    Paul's  Love  for  His  Converts 

(i.  7,8) 47 

VI.    Paul's  Prayer  for  His  Converts 

(i.9-11) 57 

VII.    Paul  the  Prisoner 

(i.  12-20) 67 

VIII.    Between  Life  and  Death 

(21,26) 77 

IX.    A  Timely  Exhortation 

(••27-30)  87 

X.    The  Mind  of  Christ 

(ii.  1, 6) 97 

XI.    The  Humiliation  and  Exaltation  of 
the  Christ 

(ii.  6-11)  105 

XII.    The    Ideal  and   the  Energy  of  the 
Christian  Life 

(".  12,  13) 113 

XIII.    The  Saving  Energy  in  the  Believer 
and  the  Church 

(i.  6;  ii.  12,  13)  ....    I2I 

XIV.    The  Christian  Life  and  the  Christian 
Ministry 

(".  14, 18) 129 


8  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XV.    The  Living  Gospel  in  Lowly  Lives 

(ii-  19-25)  137 

XVI.    Fellowship  and  Service 

(ii.  25-30) 145 

XVII.    A  Great  Claim  and  a  Good  Confession 

(Hi.  1-8)  153 

XVIII.    The  Chief  Good 

(iii.  3-1 1) 161 

XIX.    The  Power  of  a  Supreme  Love   for 
Christ 

(iii.  8—1 1)  171 

XX.    The  Risen  Lord  and  the  Risen  Life 

(iii.  10,  11) 183 

XXI.    Paul's  View  of  the  Past 

(iii.  13.  14) 191 

XXII.    Paul's  View  of  Christian  Perfection 

(iii.  12-16) 199 

XXIII.  Paul's  Sorrow  over  the  Perversion 

of  Truth  and  the  Degradation  of 
Life 

(iii.  17-20) 211 

XXIV.  The  Heavenly  Citizenship 

(iii.  20, 21) 219 

XXV.    The  Summons  to  Christian  Steadfast- 
ness 

(iv.  1 ) 227 

XXVI.    The  Call  to  Union  and  Mutual  Help- 
fulness 

(iv.  2, 3) 235 

XXVII.    Worship  and  Life 

(iv.  5-7)  243 

XXVIII.    A  Noble  Creed 

(iv.  8,9) 253 

XXIX.    Paul  the  Teacher 

(iv.  8,  9) 263 

XXX.    The  Joy  of  Giving  and  Receiving 

(iv.  10-20) 273 

XXXI.    The  Final  Salutation 

(iv.  21-23)         -       -       .       -       -   285 


INTRODUCTION 


"These  men  [The  Reformers]  were  not  hampered  by 
the  letter,  for  they  were  filled  with  the  spirit.  They 
readily  changed  their  own  phrases  as  light  grew  with 
progress  of  events ;  and  they  understood  that  their  words 
were  simply  their  testimonies,  and  not  tests  by  which 
future  generations  were  to  be  kept  in  spiritual  bondage. 
When  a  church  is  able  to  utter  its  faith  in  the  language 
of  its  own  day,  it  gives  proof  that  it  is  a  living  church, 
awake  to  the  signs  of  the  times ;  that  it  is  progressive  as 
well  as  conservative;  and  that  it  is  able  to  face  dangers, 
to  expand  with  the  growth  of  the  free  spirit,  and  to 
adjust  itself  to  the  larger  environment  in  which  men  are 
now  living." 

[The  closing  words  of  an  article  on  "The  Outlook  in 
Theology,"  contributed  to  the  American  Journal  of 
Theology  by  George  M.  Grant,  late  Principal  of  Queen's 
University,  Jan.  1902,  shortly  before  his  death  and  in  the 
twenty-fifth  year  of  his  principalship ;  they  express  the 
vigour  of  faith  and  catholicity  of  spirit  in  which  his  great 
life-work  was  achieved.] 


CHAPTER  I 

INTRODUCTION 

The  nature  of  this  volume  does  not  call  for  an 
elaborate  "introduction"  in  the  technical  sense  of 
the  word.  The  scholars,  who  are  seeking  to 
stimulate  a  new  and  "advanced"  movement  of 
criticism  in  the  region  of  early  Christian  literature, 
tell  us,  that;  "The  historical  as  distinguished  from 
the  abiding  religious  and  ethical  value  of  this 
writing,  even  though  it  makes  no  contribution  to 
our  knowledge  of  the  life  of  Paul,  is  not  slight.  It 
throws  light  for  us  upon  the  history  of  Paulinism 
and  the  course  of  this  quickening  practical  move- 
ment within  Christianity  during  the  first  half  of 
the  second  century."  (Encyclopaedia  Biblica, 
page  3710.) 

The  short  chapters  which  form  the  present 
volume  are,  of  course,  concerned  chiefly  with  the 
religious  teaching  and  moral  influence  of  the 
epistle.  They  are  written  from  the  point  of  view 
generally  accepted  by  New  Testament  scholars, 
that  in  it  we  possess  a  genuine  letter  of  Paul, 
written  from  Rome  about  60  A.  D.  This  position 
naturally  involves  the  belief  that  the  document 
does  contribute  to  our  knowledge  of  a  man  and 
not  simply  a  far-reaching  movement,  that  it  is  a 
revelation  of  Paul's  inward  life,  as  well  as  a  mani- 
festation of  Christian  truth  in  and  through  him. 


12  THE   PHILIPPIAN   GOSPEL 

The  personal  element  and  the  teaching  seem  to 
harmonize  well,  both  in  style  and  substance,  with 
what  we  learn  concerning  the  great  apostle  from 
other  sources.  What  is  said  on  the  other  side, 
though  interesting  and  worthy  of  careful  discus- 
sion by  those  who  have  the  necessary  opportunity 
and  equipment,  cannot  be  properly  dealt  with 
here.  The  present  writer  believes  in  the  fullest 
freedom  of  discussion  on  all  such  matters;  he 
recognises  that  the  only  way  to  meet  arguments 
is  to  examine  them  in  a  sympathetic  spirit  and 
reasonable  manner.  In  this  case  the  arguments 
presented  do  not  seem  to  him  to  be  at  all  con- 
vincing. If  the  view  now  proposed  by  the  few 
scholars  who  regard  themselves  as  pioneers  of  a 
new  and  more  thorough  stage  of  historical  inves- 
tigation is  to  succeed  in  justifying  itself,  that  can 
only  come  as  the  result  of  a  long  critical  move- 
ment which  will  revolutionize  our  conception  of 
"the  early  days  of  Christianity."  But  those  who 
are  confident  that  such  a  movement  must  take 
place,  and  in  the  end  commend  itself  to  all  quali- 
fied judges,  admit  that  the  first  tentative  stages 
have  not  been  passed.  "Towards  this  important 
work  little  more  than  first  essays  have  hitherto 
been  made.  The  harvest  promises  to  be  plentiful 
but  the  labourers  are  yet  too  few."  A  movement 
which  is  thus  described,  by  those  who  regard  it  as 
legitimate  and  hopeful  is,  at  present,  a  matter  for 
specialists  and  does  not  furnish  results  sufficiently 
secure  for  the  practical  expositor.  One  point, 
however,  must  be  mentioned  in  this  connection. 
Those   of  us   who   are   most   in   sympathy   with 


INTRODUCTION  13 

minute  critical  investigation  into  details  of  history 
and  language  feel  that,  in  the  hands  of  certain 
critics,  it  is  in  danger  of  becoming  too  subjective 
and  speculative;  the  creative,  unifying  force  of 
personality  and  spiritual  life  is  not  grasped  in  any 
large  living  fashion.  Readers,  not  quite  destitute 
of  the  critical  faculty,  have  been  compelled  to  say, 
"You  have  the  parts  in  your  hand  but  the  spir- 
itual bond  is  lacking."  We  must  allow  the  possi- 
bility of  rapid  development,  in  the  case  of  a  great 
man  or  an  important  period,  when  the  revelations 
of  many  ages  find  their  concentration  and  comple- 
tion. "Schiirer*  (cit.  by  Godet)  says:  'All  the 
reasons  advanced  in  this  sphere  against  the 
authenticity,  have  weight  only  with  him  who 
makes  the  Apostle  Paul,  that  most  living  and 
mobile  spirit  the  world  has  ever  seen,  a  man  of 
habit  and  routine,  who  behooved  to  write  each  of 
his  letters  like  all  the  others,  to  repeat  in  the  fol- 
lowing ones  what  he  had  said  in  the  preceding,  and 
to  say  it  again  always  in  the  same  way  and  in  the 
same  terms.'  " 

This,  however,  opens  up  a  large  subject  which 
cannot  receive  here  any  adequate  treatment  or 
even  statement.  Those  who  desire  that  kind  of 
discussion  can  easily  find  it  in  Bible  dictionaries 
and  critical  commentaries.  The  homiletic  element, 
which  would  be  out  of  place  there,  is  an  appro- 
priate feature  of  this  small  volume.  An  attempt 
is  made,  without  technical  discussion,  to  expand 
some  of  Paul's  great  thoughts  and  clothe  them  in 
the  language  of  our  own  time,  so  that  they  may 

♦See  Dr.  Vincent's  Commentary  In  the  International  Series,  p.  xxx. 


14  THE    PHILIPPIAN   GOSPEL 

thus  be  seen  to  have  an  important  bearing  upon 
our  present  life  of  thought  and  conduct. 

After  many  years  of  experience  in  the  work  of 
the  pulpit,  it  is  the  strong  conviction  of  the  present 
writer  that  one  constant  need  of  the  ministry  and 
the  Church  is  the  revival  and  continuance  of  intel- 
ligent expository  preaching.  This  would  seem  to 
be  self-evident  to  those  who  rejoice  in  the  posses- 
sion of  an  inspired  literature  with  living  authority 
and  abiding  power.  And  yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  plea  for  preaching  that  shall  show  both  close 
scientific  study  of  the  ancient  literature  and  broad 
sympathy  with  the  needs  of  modern  life  is  neither 
unnecessary  nor  impertinent.  The  really  modern 
man  is  the  man  who  knows  the  past.  We  cannot 
retrace  our  steps;  it  is  not  possible  to  go  back  and 
copy  earlier  forms  of  life;  we  must  face  our  own 
problems  and  fight  our  own  battles.  But  we  have 
in  the  words  of  prophets  and  apostles,  and  above 
all,  in  the  teaching  of  our  Lord,  a  real  gospel,  an 
everlasting  message.  The  preacher  is  an  inter- 
preter who  having  proved  in  himself  the  power  of 
this  gospel,  can  bring  it  home  to  the  hearts  of  men, 
who  long  for  guidance  and  inspiration.  The 
effort  to  understand  the  life  of  those  who  were  the 
first  preachers  of  our  glorious  faith  is  a  means  of 
mental  culture,  as  well  as  of  spiritual  grace,  a 
broadening  of  one's  own  vision,  as  well  as  a  train- 
ing for  the  teaching  of  others.  The  range  of  the 
pulpit  in  these  days  is  wide,  and  there  is  no  need 
for  the  thoughtful  minister  to  be  limited  to  any 
small  circle  of  topics;  but  the  central  theme  re- 
mains the  same,  the  power  of  God's  love,  mani- 


INTRODUCTION  15 

fested  in  Christ,  to  quicken  and  purify  the  whole 
of  life.  Here  the  two  great  forces  of  the  written 
word  and  the  living  teacher  meet  and  do  their 
highest  work.     (Acts  viii,  30,  31). 

Of  the  following  chapters  it  may  simply  be  said 
that  they  have  sprung  from  a  desire  to  read  in  a 
teachable  appreciative  spirit  the  apostle's  own 
words  and  to  interpret  them  in  a  way  that  shall 
be  helpful  to  the  men  and  women  who  are  seeking 
to  be  true  to  their  Christian  vocation,  and  sug- 
gestive to  those  who  are  beginning  the  same  kind 
of  expository  work.  Pursuing  our  task  in  this 
spirit  we  may  expect  the  guidance  and  blessing  of 
the  Great  Teacher  who  is  at  all  times  the  light  and 
life  of  the  Church. 

These  meditations  are  utterly  vain  and  feeble 
if  they  do  not  assist  in  deepening  the  impression 
that  we  have  here  a  series  of  noble  utterances, 
worthy  of  one,  who  being  constrained  by  the  love 
of  Christ,  poured  out  his  life  in  the  service  of 
humanity.  The  character  and  purpose  of  the 
epistle  are  clearly  and  beautifully  set  forth  in  the 
following  words  taken  from  Dr.  Vincent's  admirable 
commentary : 

"But  while  the  character  of  the  epistle  is  ethical 
rather  than  doctrinal  or  controversial,  it  gives  no 
countenance  to  the  tendency  to  resolve  the  gospel 
into  a  mere  code  of  morals.  The  moral  inspira- 
tion which  it  represents  has  its  impelling  centre 
in  a  person  and  a  life,  and  not  in  a  code.  The 
personal  Christ  is  its  very  heart.  It  exhibits 
Christ  in  Paul  rather  than  before  him.  Christ  is 
not  a  subject  of  controversy;  he  is  not  simply  a 


16  THE   PHILIPPIAN   GOSPEL 

pattern  of  conduct.  He  is  the  sum  of  Paul's  life. 
Paul's  ideal  is  to  be  found  in  him.  His  death  is 
not  a  sorrowful  reminiscence;  it  has  been  shared 
by  the  apostle  in  his  own  death  to  sin.  The  view 
of  the  resurrection,  which  this  letter  in  common 
with  that  to  the  Romans  presents,  is  a  standing 
rebuke  to  the  superficial  conception  and  loose 
grasp  which  the  church  too  often  brings  to  that 
truth.  The  resurrection  is  to  Paul  a  present, 
informing  energy  and  not  only  a  memory  and  a 
hope.  He  would  know  the  power  of  the  resur- 
rection now  and  here  as  well  as  hereafter.  He 
not  only  lives  according  to  Christ's  life,  he  lives  it. 
Christ  loves,  obeys,  suffers,  sympathises,  toils,  and 
hopes  in  him.  Under  the  power  of  this  life  his 
own  natural  affection  is  transfigured.  He  knows 
not  men  after  the  flesh,  but  loves  and  longs  for 
them  in  the  heart  of  Christ  Jesus. 

With  the  exhibition  of  these  facts  goes  the  cor- 
responding emphasis  of  the  apostle's  personality. 
The  letter  is  more  distinctly  personal  than  any  of 
the  epistles  to  the  churches  except  II.  Corinthians. 
In  this  lies  largely  its  peculiar  fascination.  But 
personality  is  accentuated  on  a  different  side. 
Its  sensitive,  indignant,  self -vindicatory  aspect, 
so  marked  in  the  Corinthian  letter,  is  completely 
in  the  background  here.  The  Paul  of  the  Philip- 
pian  letter  is  not  the  man  whose  apostolic  creden- 
tials have  been  challenged,  and  whose  personal 
motives  have  been  impugned;  not  the  vindicator 
of  himself  and  of  his  ministry  against  the  preten- 
sions of  false  apostles;  not  the  missionary  who  is 
reluctantly  constrained  in  his  own  defence  to  un- 


INTRODUCTION  17 

fold  the  record  of  his  labors  and  sufferings.  He  is 
the  disciple  who  counts  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his 
Lord ;  for  whom  to  live  is  Christ  and  to  die  is  to  be 
with  Christ.  What  a  blending  of  the  restfulness 
of  faith  with  the  tenseness  of  aspiration!  What 
an  upreach  of  desire!  With  an  experience  be- 
hind him  unique  in  its  depth  and  richness  and 
variety,  with  the  memory  of  personal  vision  of 
Christ  and  of  ravishment  in  the  third  heaven, 
with  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of 
divine  truth  won  through  heart-shaking  moral 
crises,  in  solitary  meditation  and  in  the  vast  ex- 
perience of  his  missionary  career, — his  attainment 
is  only  a  point  for  a  larger  outlook,  an  impulse  to 
more  vigorous  striving.  In  Christ  he  is  in  a 
sphere  of  infinite  possibilities,  and  he  counts  not 
himself  to  have  apprehended,  but  stretches  for- 
ward under  the  perpetual  stress  of  his  heavenward 
calling. ' ' 


A  SUGGESTIVE   SALUTATION 


CHAPTER  II 

A  SUGGESTIVE   SALUTATION 
(I    i,  2) 

Paul,  speaking  of  his  converts,  describes  them 
as  "living  epistles  known  and  read  of  all  men." 
The  phrase  may  well  be  used  to  describe  the  letters 
that  came  from  his  own  pen,  so  lofty  are  they  in 
thought,  and  so  alive  are  they  with  spiritual  feel- 
ing. This  is  a  real  letter,  suffused  with  strong  per- 
sonal feeling,  and  not  a  great  theological  treatise 
like  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  or  a  controversial 
tract  such  as  was  sent  to  the  Galatians;  at  the 
same  time,  it  is  rich  as  a  presentation  of  Christian 
truth,  and  a  record  of  Christian  experience.  As 
the  Apostle  poured  forth  these  burning  words, 
he  never  dreamed  that  they  would  play  such  a 
large  part  in  the  future  life  of  the  world;  he  did 
his  work  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  a  fully  conse- 
crated man,  and  God  has  given  to  him  an  immor- 
tality of  usefulness. 

Philippi  is  interesting  to  Christian  people,  not 
because  it  was  a  chief  city  of  Macedonia  and  a 
Roman  colony,  not  because  here  was  fought  the 
great  battle  when  Octavius  and  Antony  defeated 
Brutus  and  Cassius,  "the  last  of  the  republicans," 
but  rather  because  it  was  the  place  where  Chris- 
tianity made  its  first  appearance  in  Europe,  and 

21 


22  THE    PHILIPPIAN   GOSPEL 

where  work  was  done  that  exercised  an  important 
and  far-reaching  influence  on  the  Western  move- 
ment of  the  new  faith.  By  quiet  teaching  at  the 
riverside,  by  conflict  with  superstition  in  the  stir- 
ring streets,  by  heroic  conduct  in  the  dungeon, 
by  dignified  behavior  before  the  magistrates,  the 
power  of  a  living  religion  commanded  respect  and 
conquered  love.  The  sixteenth  chapter  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  a  ,wonder-record  of  mis- 
sionary enterprise,  and  it  is  the  proper  companion 
to  this  epistle.  The  missionaries  were  providen- 
tially guided  in  this  new  direction,  and  the  opening 
of  the  campaign  is  closely  packed  with  those  stir- 
ring incidents  which  are  familiar  to  all  readers  of 
the  Bible,  and  which  make  Philippi  a  classic  spot 
in  Christian  history.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise, then,  that  Paul  kept  up  communication 
with  a  place  so  memorable. 

Paul  had  often  longed  to  see  Rome  and  preach 
the  gospel  in  the  centre  of  the  Empire,  and  in  a 
strange  way  he  was  taken  there;  to  save  his  life 
and  maintain  the  continuity  of  his  work  he  had 
been  compelled  to  appeal  unto  Caesar.  Two  years 
of  weary  waiting  did  not  crush  him,  but  brought 
out  in  a  clearer  light  his  restless  energy  and  victo- 
rious faith.  Through  sorrow,  this  bold,  fearless 
man  was  only  made  more  thoughtful  and  tender, 
and  when  at  last  he  reaches  the  Imperial  city,  he 
has  been  prepared  by  a  long  and  varied  discipline 
to  begin  a  new  chapter  in  his  wonderful  career. 
The  conflicts  in  Palestine,  the  law's  delay  at 
Caesarea,  the  toilsome  journey  by  land  and  sea, — 
these  in  a  way  unexpected,  lead  him  to  the  new 


A  SUGGESTIVE   SALUTATION  23 

strange  scene  of  suffering  and  triumph,  and  the 
desire  he  had  long  cherished  is  fulfilled,  "I  am 
ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  you  also  that  are  in 
Rome."     (Rom.  I,  15) 

I  Paul  in  prison  and  Nero  on  the  throne  form  a 
striking  contrast.  Nero  could  play  both  the  cruel 
tyrant  and  the  contemptible  fool.  His  black  crimes 
we  do  not  dare  to  mention ;  yet  he  wore  the  purple 
and  sat  on  the  imperial  throne,  while  the  noblest 
man  of  all  the  age  languished  in  a  dungeon  near 
the  palace.  That  contrast  did  not  trouble  Paul, 
for  he  did  not  expect  a  present  reward,  or  think 
that  sacred  service  could  be  paid  for  in  this  world's 
coin.  It  need  not  trouble  us  when  we  think  of 
Nero's  shameful  end  and  everlasting  disgrace,  or 
of  Paul's  good  fight  and  crown  of  righteousness. 

The  large  generosity  and  dignified  feeling  of  the 
man  are  seen  in  the  first  words  of  the  epistle, 
"Paul  and  Timothy  bond  slaves  of  Christ  Jesus." 
There  is  no  mock  humility  and  no  straining  after 
supremacy.  In  some  cases  Paul  was  compelled 
to  assert  his  apostolic  dignity;  but  he  disliked 
that  kind  of  self  assertion,  and  he  carefully  avoided 
it  in  addressing  those  who  had  shown  to  him  both 
love  and  loyalty.  To  them  he  can  adopt  a  sim- 
pler tone,  and  this  allows  him  to  join  with  himself 
the  youthful  Timothy.  Timothy  is  in  a  sense  his 
servant  and  pupil,  but  they  are  both  slaves  of 
Christ.  Paul  was  sensitive  as  to  his  authority 
when  the  question  involved  the  originality  and 
power  of  his  message,  but  no  man  cherished  a 
keener  contempt  for  petty  jealousy.  He  saw 
clearly  that  each  real  man  will  take  his  own  place 


24  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

and  do  his  own  work  while  recognising  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  work  done  by  others  (i  Cor.  3; 
1-9)  This  word  "slave"  is  often  used  by  Paul, 
and  with  him  it  has  real  meaning,  and  is  not  an 
affectation  of  extreme  humility,  but  the  confession 
of  full  surrender  to  Jesus  as  Saviour,  Teacher, 
and  King.  He  resists  the  tyranny  of  tradition, 
and  the  bigotry  of  the  elders,  but  when  Jesus 
speaks  he  is  ready  to  obey.  He  is  a  splendid 
example  of  the  fact  that  the  slave  of  Christ  is 
God's  free  man,  that  intense  discipleship  is  consis- 
tent with  strong  individuality.  When  the  proud 
Pharisee,  the  prejudiced  Jew  was  led  captive  by 
love  and  bound  in  its  golden  chains,  he  entered 
into  a  freer  atmosphere  and  breathed  a  larger  life. 
Paul  addresses  the  Christian  church  at  Philippi, 
and  then  refers  to  the  office-bearers  of  the  congre- 
gation. This  is  a  peculiar  form  of  salutation, 
found  only  in  this  place;  we  cannot  be  quite  sure 
of  the  reason  that  led  the  apostle  to  use  it,  unless 
it  was  that  in  the  letter  from  the  Church  special 
prominence  had  been  given  the  bishops  and 
deacons.  Paul  applies  to  the  general  body  of 
disciples  the  noble  name  "saints.  "  There  is  some- 
thing tragic  in  the  way  great  words  are  misused, 
and  then  pass  out  of  use.  This  word  "saint," 
which  did  such  honourable  service  in  the  apos- 
tolic times,  has  almost  ceased  to  be  used  in  a  living 
practical  way,  being  now  too  often  used  in  an  arti- 
ficial sense,  or  spoken  in  a  sarcastic  tone.  It  does 
not  here  claim  that  the  disciples  are  faultless,  or 
that  they  have  attained  their  full  growth  in  the 
Christian   life,    but   it   indicates   the   calling,   the 


A  SUGGESTIVE  SALUTATION  25 

hope,  and  the  destiny  of  the  true  believer.  The 
hope  of  purity,  the  longing  for  perfection  moved 
the  heart  of  the  Christian  man,  and  constituted 
the  new  and  high  ambition  that  Christ  had  kin- 
dled in  his  soul.  To  become  like  Christ  is  the 
Christian's  destiny,  the  divine  decree  for  those 
whose  faith  links  them  to  the  source  of  eternal  life. 
When  we  leave  the  words  which  speak  of  the 
deepest  life,  and  come  to  those  which  refer  to 
ecclesiastical  organization,  we  are  in  danger  of 
being  seized  by  a  strong  sectarian  spirit  and  car- 
ried into  regions  of  fierce  controversy.  At  the 
present  time  both  historical  science  and  Christian 
charity  protest  against  such  a  course.  Those  who 
need  and  desire  elaborate  discussions  on  these 
matters  can  easily  find  them;  they  would  cer- 
tainly be  out  of  place  in  these  brief  expositions. 
Paul  was  living  in  the  free  formative  period  of  the 
Church,  he  was  scarcely  the  kind  of  man  to  place 
supreme  value  on  a  cast-iron  organization,  and 
he  certainly  thought  of  the  Church  as  a  living 
body  possessing  elasticity  of  movement,  and 
power  of  adaptation.  It  is  difficult,  perhaps  we 
should  say  impossible,  to  show  that  certain  definite 
"orders"  of  ministry  existed  in  the  Church  then 
exactly  as  now.  Paul  seems  to  use  "bishop" 
and  "elder"  in  substantially  the  same  sense.  In 
his  speech  to  the  elders  at  Ephesus  he  says  that 
God  has  made  them  overseers  or  bishops,  and  when 
he  instructs  Titus  to  ordain  elders,  he  immediately 
calls  these  elders  bishops.  The  word  elder 
(presbyter)  came  from  the  Jewish  synagogue,  the 
word   bishop    (episcopos)    from   a   Greek   secular 


26  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

office;  in  the  earliest  days  they  were  both  applied 
to  men  who  preached,  ministered,  and  adminis- 
tered, in  later  times  they  were  distinguished  from 
one  another,  and  the  bishop  became  the  ruler  of 
the  clergy.  The  first  book  of  Christian  church 
history,  "the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,"  tells  of  the 
appointment  of  "deacons"  to  meet  a  special 
emergency,  but  it  is  possible  that  afterwards 
different  workers  were  denoted  by  that  name. 
Here,  however,  the  reference  to  the  Church  officers 
is  quite  incidental.  The  question  of  organization 
was  not  at  all  prominent  in  the  Apostle's  thought; 
he  was  dwelling  in  a  serener  sphere  when  he  sent 
this  greeting  of  grace  and  peace.  There  is  much 
truth  in  the  statement  that  "Paul  is  a  sower  of 
ideas,  not  a  methodical  administrator;  a  despiser  of 
ecclesiastical  forms  and  of  ritualism;  a  mighty 
idealist  filled  with  Christian  enthusiasm,  and  who 
knew  no  other  church  government  than  that  of 
Christ  himself  inspiring  his  disciples  with  the 
knowledge  of  what  they  ought  to  say  and  do." 

It  is  a  salutation  and  a  prayer;  Paul  links  together 
in  his  thought  the  disciples  and  their  Lord.  He 
places  old  words  in  new  combinations,  and  gives 
them  a  higher  tone.  "Grace"  was  the  salutation 
of  the  energetic,  cultured  Greek,  and  "peace"  that 
of  the  devout,  disciplined  Jew.  The  Greek  appre- 
ciated the  beauty  of  the  world  and  the  glory  of 
life,  and  wished  for  his  friend's  intense  active  joy; 
the  Hebrew  reverenced  the  divine  law  and  prayed 
to  be  at  peace  with  God  and  man.  The  Christian 
religion  had  a  spirituality  of  tone  that  was  lacking 
in  that  of  the  Greeks,  and  a  clear  communion  with 


A  SUGGESTIVE  SALUTATION  27 

the  Father  to  which  the  Jew  had  never  attained. 
Jesus  was  to  the  disciple  "the  ideal  man,"  for  whom 
the  noblest  Greeks  had  hungered,  and  the  manifes- 
tation of  God  for  which  the  prophets  had  personally 
prayed.     It  is  the  fashion  now  to  prescribe  "the 
Greek  idea  of  life"  as  a  cure  for  narrowness  and  a 
source  of  "sweetness  and  light,"  and  when  that  is 
really  a  counsel  of  breadth  and  charity  there  is  no 
need  to  despise  it.     Neither  ought  we  to  despise 
the  reverence  and  restraint  symbolised  by  the  old 
Hebrew  discipline  and  its  practical  view  that  the 
fear   of   the   Lord   is   the   beginning   of   wisdom. 
"Grace  and  peace"  do  not  come  by  painful  penance, 
or  continuous  self -culture,  but  by  accepting  God's 
mercy  and  trusting  His  great  love.     The  Christian 
life  is  inspired  by  the  revelation  of  love,  and  hence 
it  is  equal  to  the  high  demands  of  law.    It  is  through 
the  Cross  that  law  and  love   find  their  highest 
meaning  and  most  real  reconciliation.     The  bless- 
ings that  Nero  with  all  his  wealth  could  not  buy, 
and  Seneca  with  all  his  learning  could  not  discover, 
Paul  found  through  self -surrender  to  the  rejected 
Nazarene.     Through  the  loss  of  self  he  found  a 
higher  life;  finding  God  in  the  lowly  life  of  the 
gentlest  Man  he  came  to  the  possession  of  grace 
and    peace,    of   inward    satisfaction   and   restless 
aspiration. 


CHRISTIAN    FELLOWSHIP 


CHAPTER  III 

CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP 
(Phil.  I,  3-5) 

This  epistle  is  in  many  ways  a  beautiful  manifes- 
tation of  the  fact  that  a  true  man  is  not  a  creature 
of  circumstances.  It  was  written  in  prison  and  in 
a  strange  land.  The  apostle  Paul  at  this  time  was 
often  weak  and  lonely,  oppressed  with  cares  and 
harassed  by  many  distressing  circumstances,  and 
yet  his  letter  has  a  triumphant  tone.  The  words 
"joy"  and  "rejoice"  occur  thirteen  times  within 
short  space.  He  who  sang  in  the  dungeon  at 
Philippi  can  sing  in  the  prison  at  Rome.  Though 
he  has  many  heavy  burdens  and  is  uncertain  as  to 
his  fate  he  maintains  confidence  in  God,  and  speaks 
cheerfully  to  his  fellow-disciples.  Many  a  man  in 
such  circumstances  would  have  been  distracted  by 
doubts  and  overmastered  by  fears  but  Paul  was  a 
strong  man  and  had  a  firm  trust  in  the  Eternal  God. 

Paul  shows  in  his  letters  what  we  may  call  the 
orator's  tact,  the  sympathetic  feeling  which  leads 
a  man  to  seek  to  be  on  good  terms  with  his  audience. 
He  always  begins  in  a  kindly  tone,  even  in  dealing 
with  those  churches  where  grave  offence  had  to  be 
condemned  and  false  doctrines  combatted,  he  begins 
by  saying  all  the  good  that  he  can.  This  is  not 
mere  policy  or  superficial  politeness;  in  him  it  is 

31 


32  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

genuine  Christian  feeling,  which  causes  him  to 
restrain  his  impetuous  energy  and  consider  the 
weakness  of  his  companions.  He  knew  that  a 
teacher  must  above  all  men  be  patient  and  hopeful. 
He  was  not  a  narrow  zealot  or  fanatic  but  kept  him- 
self in  sympathy  with  all  honest  forms  of  life  and 
work.  The  life  of  the  Philippian  church  seems  to 
have  been  comparatively  pure  and  earnest.  He  did 
not  feel  that  it  called  for  any  severe  criticism,  so  he 
gives  full  course  to  his  expressions  of  thankfulness 
and  confidence. 

The  great  missionary  at  this  stage  of  his  life  had 
very  little  happiness,  as  the  world  esteems  happi- 
ness, but  he  had  great  blessedness.  If  you  read 
over  the  Beatitudes  of  our  Lord  you  will  find  that 
many  of  them  were  realised  in  the  life  of  Paul. 
He  had  the  true  blessedness  which  springs  from  a 
rich  inward  life.  He  had  been  poor,  hungry, 
sorrowful,  persecuted  and  had  been  able  to  make 
of  all  these  evils  "stepping  stones  to  higher  things." 
This  blessedness  is  a  gift  of  God's  grace  to  the 
trustful  soul,  that  is  the  only  explanation.  It  is 
not  a  thing  of  wealth,  genius  or  success.  In  Paul 
it  showed  itself  in  two  ways,  (i)  In  a  deliberate 
looking  at  the  bright  side  of  things.  That  to  him 
was  God's  side.  In»the  dark  night  he  looked  to  the 
eternal  stars  of  heaven,  which  no  earthly  power 
can  dim ;  instead  of  looking  at  what  he  had  suffered 
and  lost  he  looked  to  what  God  had  given  him. 

"  Some  murmur  when  the  sky  is  clear 
And  wholly  bright  to  view, 
If  but  one  spot  of  dim  appear 
In  their  great  heaven  of  blue 


CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP  33 

And  some  with  thankful  love  are  filled 

If  but  one  streak  of  light 
One  ray  of  God's  good  mercy  gild 

The  darkness  of  their  night." 

Paul  was  one  of  those  who  are  keen  to  detect 
blessings  and  ever  ready  to  give  thanks  to  God. 
(2)  His  blessedness  of  heart  and  life  showed  itself 
further  in  his  readiness  to  rejoice  with  or  over 
others.  On  this  point  F.  W.  Robertson  has  a  just 
and  beautiful  remark.  He  says  the  prizes  of  life  are 
few ;  if  we  cannot  be  content  unless  we  have  a  whole 
kid  we  shall  make  ourselves  miserable ;  the  greatest 
joy  comes  from  the  power  to  rejoice  when  the 
fatted  calf  is  killed  for  our  brother.  Paul  found 
his  blessedness  increased  through  the  life  of  his 
converts ;  the  more  they  prospered  the  more  he  felt 
that  it  was  meet  for  him  to  rejoice  and  be  glad. 
As  a  teacher  loves  to  see  his  pupils  advance  in 
knowledge,  as  a  general  rejoices  in  the  bravery  of 
his  soldiers,  as  a  father  is  glad  because  of  the 
growth  and  happiness  of  his  children,  so  Paul  re- 
joiced in  the  Christian  life  that  was  flourishing  at 
Philippi.  One  of  his  constant  sources  of  joy  was 
the  thought  of  those  whom  he  had  been  the  means 
of  leading  to  Christ. 

Here  he  clearly  and  emphatically  expresses  his 
thankfulness  for  their  spiritual  life  and  his  confi- 
dence in  them.  He  has  no  suspicions  or  fears  in 
regard  to  them.  They  have  shown  their  love  to 
Christ  and  their  kindness  towards  him,  and  so 
whenever  he  thinks  of  them  he  can  pray  for  them 
with  a  joyful  heart  and  a  hopeful  spirit.  This 
confidence  Paul  expresses  in  the  6th  verse,  "Being 


4 


34  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

confident  of  this  very  thing,"  a  verse  which 
demands  separate  treatment;  here  he  renders 
thanks  for  the  fellowship  into  which  these  disciples 
have  entered.  He  thanks  God  for  what  they  have 
experienced  and  in  his  prayers  beseeches  for  them 
a  larger  life.  This  very  prayer  both  in  its  substance 
and  its  form  is  a  manifestation  of  the  spiritual 
fellowship  of  which  he  speaks.  Paul  feels  that  as 
he  draws  near  to  the  throne  of  God  he  is  very  near 
to  his  Philippian  brethren  and  can  make  their  joys 
and  sorrows  his  own.  This  is  the  nature  of  real 
prayer;  in  bringing  you  near  to  God  it  brings  you 
near  to  all  your  loved  ones,  it  brings  you  near  to 
all  the  saints  of  God.  All  those  who  really  pray 
to  God  through  Christ  are  by  that  very  act  bound 
into  a  spiritual  family. 

He  is  very  careful  to  say  that  his  prayer  embraces 
the  whole  congregation,  not  any  clique  or  special 
class.  Some  might  think  that  he  thought  only  of 
office-bearers  and  great  people  and  that  the  poor 
and  feeble  were  forgotten,  but  it  was  not  so;  every 
member  of  that  little  struggling  community  was 
included  in  his  fervent  prayer  for  life  and  blessing. 
A  congregation  is  like  a  living  body,  every  member 
has  his  own  place  and  peculiar  use ;  the  great  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  the  sheep  cares  for  all  in  a  way 
that  Paul  strove  to  imitate. 

These  Philippians  possessed  a  great  blessing  in 
which  Paul  rejoices  and  for  which  he  gives  thanks; 
that  is,  the  blessing  of  Christian  fellowship,  they 
had  received  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  through 
Christ,  they  had  part  and  lot  in  the  new  Christian 
kingdom.     They  had  fellowship  in  the  enjoyment 


CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP  35 

of  the  Gospel,  and  fellowship  in  the  spreading  of  it. 
They  had  become  co-workers  with  God  and 
fellow-workers  with  Paul.  The  first  result  of  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  was  that  it  created  a  new 
fellowship  in  the  world,  different  from  anything 
that  had  ever  been  in  it  before.  The  word  fellow- 
ship here  is  the  word  communion  and  means  to 
have  something  in  common.  A  number  of  children 
living  in  one  family  and  having  the  same  father 
and  mother  have  fellowship  on  that  basis.  They 
possess  the  same  nature  of  body  and  soul,  they  are 
sheltered  and  blessed  by  the  same  love,  they  cherish 
love  for  the  same  persons,  and  so  long  as  they  dwell 
together  on  those  terms  they  have  fellowship,  that 
is,  they  share  a  common  life.  Family  life  is  a  pure 
and  beautiful  form  of  fellowship  and  without  it  a 
nation  cannot  reach  any  high  and  holy  life. 

The  great  fact  of  our  life  is  that  we  were  made 
for  fellowship.  We  were  not  made  to  be  shut  up 
within  ourselves.  No  man  can  reach  the  highest 
life  that  is  possible  to  him  by  living  in  loneliness, 
however  much  he  may  study  great  truths,  or  how- 
ever much  he  may  deny  himself.  By  giving  life  to 
others  and  receiving  life  from  them  we  realise  the 
life  that  is  in  ourselves.  Religion  is  in  the  highest 
sense  fellowship  with  God  and  man. 

Paul  was  prepared  to  make  one  claim  on  behalf 
of  the  Christian  religion,  and  that  was  that  it  had 
brought  within  the  reach  of  all  the  highest  spiritual 
fellowship.  It  had  broken  down  barriers  of  nation- 
ality and  caste  and  opened  the  way  to  a  larger 
social  life.  The  thought  of  a  religion  for  all  was 
new  at  that  time.     Every  nation  had  its  own  form 


36  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

of  religion.  The  Roman  religion  was  different 
from  the  Greek  and  the  Jewish  religion  was  unlike 
either.  The  Jews  had  a  glorious  revelation  of  God 
in  their  sacred  writings,  but  they  guarded  it  in  an 
exclusive  spirit.  The  Romans  worshipped  many 
gods  and  even  turned  their  own  emperor  into  a 
god  as  soon  as  he  was  dead,  so  that  one  of  them 
said  in  bitter  jest,  when  he  was  about  to  die,  that 
he  was  turning  into  a  god.  This  kind  of  religion 
was  more  a  thing  of  politics  than  of  living  personal 
faith.  The  Greeks  who  once  possessed  a  noble 
mythology  and  a  lofty  philosophy  were  now  weak 
in  both  patriotism  and  piety.  The  Egyptians  and 
all  the  other  conquered  races  had  each  their  peculiar 
superstitions.  The  conquerors  were  jealous  of  any 
new  movements  but  allowed  large  liberty  to  old 
established  religions.  The  state  of  things  had  been 
well  summed  up  in  the  following  sentence  "The 
people  regarded  all  their  religions  as  equally  true, 
the  philosophers  thought  them  all  false,  and  the 
magistrates  reckoned  them  all  useful."  The  use 
of  religion  was  to  frighten  the  people  and  keep  them 
in  order.  Before  the  Gospel  was  preached,  there 
was  not  to  any  large  extent  such  a  thing  as  a  com- 
mon religious  fellowship  among  people  of  different 
countries.  There  was  a  political  fellowship  that 
men  coveted.  The  Roman  Empire  exerted  a 
mighty  influence  throughout  the  sphere  of  the  then 
known  world  and  it  was  a  privilege  and  an  advan- 
tage for  a  man  to  be  able  to  say,  "I  am  a  Roman 
citizen."  This  citizenship  as  an  honour  and  re- 
ward had  been  conferred  on  men  of  various  nation- 
alities. Paul  was  a  Roman  citizen  and  wore  this 
honour  with  modest  dignity. 


THE   POWER   AND   PROMISE   OF 
CHRISTIAN    EXPERIENCE 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  POWER  AND  PROMISE  OF  CHRISTIAN 
EXPERIENCE 

(1,6) 

This  is  an  age  of  criticism  and  controversy. 
Intelligent  men  are  stirred  by  an  eager  questioning 
spirit  which  investigates  the  foundations  of  every 
accepted  belief.  Everywhere  we  hear  the  din  of 
debate  and  the  noise  of  conflict.  The  most  sacred 
subjects  are  handled  with  fearless  freedom,  the 
oldest  beliefs  are  pushed  aside  to  make  way  for  the 
newest  theories,  the  conceptions  of  God  which  have 
been  cherished  for  centuries  are  sometimes  ridiculed 
as  the  lingering  remnants  of  a  foolish  superstition, 
creeds  and  definite  statements  of  faith  are  de- 
nounced as  tending  rather  to  fetter  the  intellect 
than  inspire  the  heart. 

While  there  is  probably  less  of  coarse  vulgar 
infidelity,  and  thoughtful  men  show  a  respect  for 
religion  while  at  the  same  time  feeling  a  distrust 
of  dogma,  the  spirit  of  bold  restless  discussion 
seeks  to  manifest  its  presence  in  all  quarters  within 
or  without  the  church.  At  times  the  very  fierce- 
ness of  the  conflict  produces  weariness  and  begets 
a  longing  for  some  final  external  authority,  but 
that  is  only  a  passing  phase,  a  temporary  lull  in  the 
everlasting  battle.     The  greatest  difficulty  to  de- 

39 


40  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

vout  people  is  caused  by  the  action  of  the  critical 
spirit  within  the  church,  as  it  subjects  the  ancient 
documents  to  severe  examination  and  propounds 
revolutionary  views  concerning  the  history  of  our 
religion.  Some  regard  this  activity  as  a  sign  of 
health,  others  treat  it  as  a  symptom  of  disease. 
At  present  we  cannot  debate  this  issue  but  must 
simply  emphasise  the  feeling  of  uncertainty  that  is 
begotten  in  the  minds  of  men  who  make  no  pre- 
tension to  critical  sharpness  or  philosophic  culture. 
They  lose  confidence  in  religion  and  think  that  it 
is  impossible  to  be  confident  regarding  anything 
spiritual.  The  clouds  of  dust  which  rise  from 
scenes  of  theological  strife  cause  some  to  lose  their 
way  and  to  doubt  whether  there  is  any  reliable 
path.  When  we  drift  into  this  irritating  uncer- 
tainty, a  confident  tone  in  others  seems  to  be 
intolerable  dogmatism.  And  yet  it  remains  true 
that  in  relation  to  vital  matters  uncertainty  is  a 
weakness  and  confidence  gives  strength.  We  are 
not  fed  by  doubts  and  difficulties  but  by  truths 
that  we  see  clearly  and  love  intensely.  A  man  can 
only  be  calm,  strong,  and  influential,  in  proportion 
as  he  possesses  truth  upon  which  he  can  rest  in 
patient  hope.  There  is  no  faltering  hesitancy  in 
the  apostle's  tone;  these  words  uttered  in  the  face 
of  Jewish  tradition  and  Greek  speculation  come 
with  true  originality  and  tremendous  power, 
"Being  confident  of  this  very  thing  that  He  which 
hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  unto 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ. ' '  The  speaker  is  not  dealing 
directly  with  historic  facts  or  intellectual  concep- 
tions but  with  spiritual  experience.     He  asserts 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE  41 

strongly  the  fact  of  real  intercourse  between  God 
and  man.  This  specific  work  of  God  within  the 
soul  is  to  him  the  highest  manifestation  of  the 
divine. 

There  is  nothing  that  we  need  to  realize  more  in 
the  stress  of  conflict  than  this,  the  reality  of  reli- 
gious experience,  the  possibility  of  pure  commu- 
nion between  man  and  God.  Different  scientific 
theories  as  to  the  nature  of  light  do  not  lead  us  to 
doubt  the  existence  of  the  sun,  different  opinions 
as  to  the  methods  of  cultivation  do  not  hinder  us 
from  enjoying  the  fruits  of  the  earth;  in  the  same 
way  we  ought  to  see  that,  important  as  they  are, 
many  of  these  intellectual  discussions  do  not  touch 
the  central  fact  of  redemption.  While  we  see 
many  things  through  a  glass  darkly,  we  may  be 
sure  of  this,  that  God  worketh  in  us  and  that  by 
the  power  of  His  love  manifest  in  Jesus  we  are 
delivered  from  the  dominion  of  prejudice  and 
passion. 

Intellectual  activity  is  essential  to  the  health  of 
the  Christian  church;  the  truth  will  survive  the 
ordeal  of  the  fiercest  discussion.  But  mere  argu- 
ment and  speculation  separated  from  faith  and 
devotion  are  full  of  danger  for  the  individual 
man.  The  man  who  possesses  the  religious  life 
which  quickens  all  his  power  of  thought,  feel- 
ing, and  will,  is  also  the  man  best  fitted  for  freedom 
in  all  forms  of  investigation.  Confident  faith 
must  not  be  confounded  with  narrow  dogmatism, 
both  the  narrowness  and  the  dogmatism  are  signs 
rather  of  scepticism  or  of  a  half  faith  that  is  ill  at 
ease. 


42  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

I.     THIS    EXPERIENCE    IS    DIVINE    IN    ITS    ORIGIN 

The  truth  which  Paul  declares  here  he  repeats 
in  the  next  chapter  where  he  tells  us  that  it  is 
' '  God  that  worketh  in  us . "  Thus  he  claims  a  divine 
origin  for  the  experience  of  the  humblest  soul,  he 
says  that  our  religious  life  is  a  spark  from  the 
heavenly  fire,  our  devotion  is  the  result  of  a 
wondrous  inspiration.  By  Christian  experience  we 
mean  the  struggles  with  sin,  the  longings  after 
purity,  the  feeling  of  calm  confidence  in  God,  the 
personal  attachment  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  These  are 
the  marks  of  true  discipleship,  they  are  not  the 
fancies  of  fanatics,  they  are  not  the  morbid  product 
of  an  over-heated  imagination,  they  come  to  us 
from  the  eternal  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  The  believer  knows  that  his  life  is  changed 
and  glorified  by  the  vision  of  the  Christ.  Those 
who  laugh  at  this  experience  as  an  unreal  thing, 
as  feeble  mysticism  which  will  not  stand  the  search- 
ing light  of  science  simply  show  the  shallowness  of 
a  scepticism  which  seeks  to  ignore  one  of  the 
mightiest  powers  that  the  world  has  ever  known. 
All  the  great  prophets  and  apostles,  leaders  and 
heroes  claim  that  their  power  to  face  a  hard  un- 
believing world  comes  from  the  indwelling  spirit  of 
God.  If  we  could  imagine  the  history  of  man  to 
be  bereft  of  all  that  has  been  created  by  the  fire 
of  religious  enthusiasm  and  by  the  inspiration  of 
Christian  hope  it  would  present  a  very  dismal 
picture.  Only  that  which  comes  from  God  can  lift 
men  heavenward;  human  selfishness,  mean  and 
sordid,  must  gravitate  towards  hell. 

It  is  not  enough  to  believe  that  God  has  inspired 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE  43 

angels  and  sent  them  with  messages  of  peace  to 
men,  that  He  put  burning  words  in  the  mouths  of 
prophets,  that  He  has  revealed  the  highest  truth 
through  the  medium  of  His  Son,  we  must  cherish  a 
living  faith  in  the  present  dispensation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Why  should  we  stumble  here?  The  sun 
pours  its  rich  refreshing  rays  on  the  grandest  tree 
and  the  meanest  plant,  the  common  air  ministers 
to  the  lowly  peasant  as  well  as  to  the  proud  prince, 
the  same  Lord  is  rich  unto  all  who  call  upon  him. 
"I  am  poor  and  needy,  but  the  Lord  thinketh 
upon  me. ' '  Two  closely  related  facts — the  poverty 
of  man  and  the  thoughtfulness  of  God. 

II.      THE  INWARDNESS  OF  THE  EXPERIENCE 

It  is  not  in  the  realm  of  the  senses,  it  does  not 
merely  play  upon  the  surface ;  it  is  a  power  working 
through  the  inmost  life  controlling  the  very  centre 
of  thought  and  feeling.  The  ceremonialism  of  the 
ritualist  and  the  argumentation  of  the  rationalist 
are  small  and  insufficient;  they  are  only  parts  of 
the  living  whole.  This  life  must  manifest  itself  in 
many  ways  but  this  working  of  God,  this  divine 
process  is  the  hidden  source,  the  secret  spring  of 
noblest  life.  Now,  when  so  much  is  said  about 
the  social  side  of  religion,  and  "the  saving  of  the 
soul"  is  branded  as  spiritual  selfishness  we  must 
remember  the  mystic  experience.  He  who  is  to 
bring  religion  to  bear  on  social  problems  must 
solve  the  personal  problem  and  learn  the  meaning 
of  reconciliation  to  God  through  Christ. 

Food  must  be  received  and  assimilated  in  order 
to  be  transformed  into  flesh  and  blood ;  new  knowl- 


44  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

edge  must  blend  and  harmonize  with  the  whole  life 
of  the  mind;  so  the  power  of  love  must  work 
through  the  hidden  nature  before  it  can  show  its 
print  in  Christian  character.  The  spreading 
branches  of  the  lofty  tree  are  dependent  on  the 
healthy  roots  which  run  widely  underneath  the  soil, 
and  so  continuity  of  obedience,  consistency  of  out- 
ward action,  can  only  come  from  living  influences 
that  work  from  within. 

III.       THIS     EXPERIENCE     MAY    SEEM    SMALL    IN    ITS 
BEGINNINGS 

God  gives  the  beginning  of  the  mighty  river  in 
the  slender  stream  that  comes  rippling  down  the 
mountain  side,  He  has  hidden  the  gigantic  oak  in 
the  tiny  acorn,  and  He  can  bring  a  noble  influential 
life  out  a  single  fruitful  moment  of  heavenward 
desire.  The  beginning  may  be  quiet  and  unob- 
served, but  the  work  is  steady  and  reliable.  We 
cannot  tell  when  God  first  begins  to  work  in  our 
hearts,  we  cannot  look  back  and  say,  on  such  a 
day  God  first  began  to  bless  us.  We  may  chronicle 
the  time  when  we  first  became  conscious  of  the 
divine  ministry,  when  we  first  listened  with  heedful 
attention  to  the  heavenly  voice.  There  is  no  need 
for  us  to  be  anxious  because  our  experience  has 
not  been  of  a  startling  sensational  character. 
Paul,  Augustine,  Luther,  Bunyan  and  many  others 
can  tell  of  masterful  visions  and  clear  conversion 
but  they  would  be  the  last  to  demand  that  the 
Spirit  should  work  always  in  the  same  way.  The 
light  of  heaven  may  come  into  human  life  in  various 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE  45 

ways;  sometimes  it  bursts  through  the  stormy 
darkness  and  shows  sensational  signs,  at  other 
times  it  appears  with  unostentatious  gentleness. 
The  important  thing  is  not  the  mode  but  the 
reality.  Our  dissatisfaction  with  self,  our  longing 
after  forgiveness,  our  desire  for  purity  and  peace. 
These  beginnings  of  life  are  divinely  inspired,  they 
have  in  them  the  promise  and  perfection  of  heaven. 
A  conversion  that  is  abrupt  and  decided  is  still 
only  a  beginning;  hope  for  our  future,  not  admira- 
tion for  our  past,  is  always  the  proper  attitude. 
God  is  ever  calling  us  forward,  and  we  must  be 
co-workers  with  Him. 

IV.      THROUGH    REAL    PROGRESS    THIS    EXPERIENCE 
WILL  REACH  A  GLORIOUS  COMPLETION 

Paul's  confidence  is  firmly  fixed  in  the  living 
fatherly  God,  there  is  no  failure  or  fickleness  with 
Him.  The  beginning,  small  as  it  is,  gives  the  proof 
of  the  divine  purpose  and  the  pledge  of  victory. 
The  sympathetic  eye  of  the  Saviour  sees  the  ideal 
in  each  life  while  it  is  still  an  unfulfilled  prophecy. 
It  is  good  that  there  are  quick  movements  of  the 
will,  mighty  impulses  of  the  Spirit,  when  the  soul 
seems  to  leap  from  the  bondage  of  habit  and  face 
grander  possibilities,  but  there  must  also  be  calm 
continuous  growth,  increasing  receptiveness  to  the 
power  of  God.  "Being  saved"  is  a  New  Testament 
phrase  that  should  have  a  corresponding  experience 
in  our  life.  Salvation  is  not  simply  to  receive 
forgiveness  and  wait  in  rapturous  expectation  of 
heaven,  it  is  a  living  process  advancing  constantly 


46  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

to  higher,  nobler  stages.  It  is  consecration  to  high 
aims  and  strenuous  endeavours,  it  is  social  service 
as  well  as  solitary  worship. 

The  great  architect  will  not  leave  the  building 
until  the  top-stone  is  laid  on  with  rejoicing; 
the  captain  of  our  salvation  will  lead  us  at  last 
into  the  streets  of  the  celestial  city,  the  life  begun 
in  feebleness  shall  be  raised  in  power.  The  service 
of  earth  is  preparatory  to  the  service  of  heaven, 
the  purest  songs  of  earth  are  but  a  prelude  to  the 
richer  music  of  the  Spirit -world.  If  we  are  co- 
workers with  God,  we  have  part  in  a  movement 
that  shall  reach  its  consummation  in  the  glory  of 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ  when  He  shall  see  of  the 
travail  of  His  soul  and  be  satisfied.  We  must  pass 
through  many  a  struggle,  and  many  times  we 
tremble  in  the  darkness,  but  we  shall  emerge  into 
the  full  clear  light  of  day.  "Now  we  see  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  then  face  to  face;  now  I  know 
in  part ;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  have 
been  known." 


PAUL'S   LOVE   FOR   HIS   CONVERTS 


CHAPTER  V 

PAUL'S  LOVE  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS 

(I  7,  8) 

We  are  compelled  constantly  to  note  the  strength 
and  the  sincerity  of  personal  feeling  manifested  in 
this  wonderful  letter.  The  present  passage  is  a 
striking  illustration  of  that ;  it  expresses  nobly  the 
fact  that  when  Paul  was  in  great  trouble  he  still 
found  time  and  energy  to  dwell  upon  the  tender 
relationship  that  existed  between  himself  and  his 
disciples.  When  Paul  and  Silas  sang  the  songs  of 
Zion  in  the  prison  at  Philippi,  they  cheerfully  took 
their  place  in  the  long  line  of  martyrs  who  had 
proved  that  stone  walls  do  not  make  a  prison  and 
that  the  world  cannot  enslave  those  who  are  God's 
free  men.  To  regard  this  merely  as  a  piece  of 
history  concerning  men  who  have  long  been  done 
with  this  busy  world  is  a  superficial  view.  Such 
history  concerns  us  in  so  far  as  it  manifests  the 
nature  of  the  Christian  religion  and  reveals  the 
secret  of  its  power. 

Paul  is  thankful  because  these  Philippians  have 
been  brought  into  the  new  fellowship  which  has 
been  created  through  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel, 
and  because  he  can  now  declare  that  they  share 
with  him  in  the  grace  by  which  the  Gospel  is  de- 
fended and  diffused.     The  work  of  God  having  been 

49 


50  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

begun  in  their  souls,  he  is  confident  that  it  will  be 
carried  to  a  glorious  completion.  This  is  not  flat- 
tery, Paul  was  not  the  man  to  prophesy  smooth 
things  for  the  sake  of  winning  applause.  The  man 
who  seeks  to  find  favour  by  flattery  is  a  fool,  sen- 
sible people  are  not  so  easily  deceived,  they  know 
the  ring  of  genuine  honest  words.  Before  we  cher- 
ish any  such  suspicion  regarding  Paul,  let  us  hear 
his  justification  and  try  to  understand  his  spirit. 

"Even  as  it  was  just  for  me  to  be  thus  minded 
towards  you  because  I  have  you  in  my  heart."  In 
other  words  Paul  is  justified  in  speaking  well  of 
these  people  because  he  loves  them;  that  which 
would  be  disgusting  if  spoken  through  selfish  pol- 
icy is  natural  and  beautiful  when  it  springs  from 
love.  The  father  speaking  great  things  concerning 
his  boy  may  seem  to  be  indulging  in  needless  extrav- 
agance of  language,  but  we  construe  it  generously 
as  the  expression  of  love  and  hope.  It  is  not  true 
that  "love  is  blind";  reckless  passion,  mad  infatu- 
ation may  be  blind,  but  love  is  full  of  eyes  and  sees 
many  things  hidden  from  the  common  gaze.  Love 
is  not  coldly  critical  and  certainly  not  suspicious,  it 
delights  in  hope,  but  it  is  the  hope  based  upon  in- 
sight into  the  hidden  nature  that  is  struggling  to 
unfold  itself.  The  mother  sees  promise  of  usefulness 
in  her  boy  before  others  have  detected  it,  and  in 
this  case  love  helps  to  fulfil  its  own  prophecy.  It  is 
in  this  atmosphere  that  we  must  read  Paul's  word 
concerning  his  converts.  Such  love  may  have  its 
disappointments,  but  it  is  "better  to  have  loved 
and  lost  than  never  to  have  loved  at  all." 

Love  has  a  revealing  power,  it  lights  the  path- 


PAUL'S  LOVE  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS     51 

way  of  real  knowledge.  The  man  in  whom  we  take 
no  living  interest  is  a  sealed  book  to  us.  The  per- 
son towards  whom  we  feel  a  strong  antipathy  is 
liable  to  serious  misinterpretation  on  our  part;  in 
this  case  we  are  in  danger  of  seeing  only  the  small 
and  vile.  The^  one  whom  we  love  we  do  know, 
so  far  as  it  is  given  to  human  beings  to  share  each 
other's  life.  Paul  was  not  preaching  this  philos- 
ophy of  human  intercourse,  but  indirectly  he 
suggests  it. 

This  true  sympathy  just  as  much  as  the  divine 
power  of  the  truth  accounts  for  Paul's  successful 
ministry.  He  was  a  powerful  thinker,  a  persuasive 
speaker,  an  able  writer.  His  letters  are  remarkable 
for  forceful  logic,  impetuous  energy  and  delicacy  of 
feeling.  But  behind  all  his  varied  intellectual 
activity  there  throbbed  the  power  of  a  mighty 
heart.  We  Western  people  may  be  naturally  more 
reserved,  but  there  is  no  reason  for  us  to  be  ashamed 
of  emotion.  The  glory  of  the  strongest  man  is 
that  after  all  life's  shocks  he  can  cherish  the  power 
of  a  simple  childlike  love.  That  Paul  was  a  strong 
man  does  not  need  to  be  stated,  that  he  hated 
false  professions  is  self-evident,  but  we  see  that 
he  was  not  ashamed  to  write  "love  letters"  assuring 
his  converts  that  they  dwell  in  his  soul  and  share 
his  life. 

This  was  not  gratitude,  Paul  had  done  more  for 
these  people  than  they  for  him.  Sacrifice  does  not 
exhaust  love  but  only  increases  it.  The  mother 
loves  her  child  the  more  because  she  has  poured 
out  her  life  for  it.  If  Paul  had  stayed  in  one  place 
and  spent  all   his  time  studying    books  he  might 


52  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

have  lived  a  noble  intellectual  life  and  have  pro- 
duced many  speculations  and  conjectures;  but  he 
could  not  have  written  in  this  fashion,  because  his 
heart  would  have  been  shut  to  the  needs  and  cares 
of  common  life.  Coming  in  contact  with  Jew  and 
Greek,  bond  and  free,  he  learned  that  all  have  the 
same  life,  they  bear  similar  burdens  of  sin  and 
shame,  every  man  fights  in  his  own  way  the  battle 
of  humanity.  Thus  every  individual  life  has  its 
interest  for  the  man  who  is  seeking  to  help  and 
inspire  men. 

Paul  was  a  self-sufficient  man,  but  he  had  learned 
that  he  needed  men  just  as  much  as  they  needed 
him.  He  could  call  God  to  witness  that  he  longed 
after  them,  he  was  hungry  for  their  companionship. 
Fellowship  in  the  deepest  sense  was  as  needful 
as  bread  or  books.  To  the  great  thinker  the 
Christian  religion  has  never  been  completely 
summed  up  in  the  saving  of  the  individual  soul. 
There  is  a  man  who  says  "I  do  not  need  people, 
I  have  plenty  in  my  own  home  or  set,  I  have  work 
to  do  and  I  have  pleasure  for  my  leisure  hours,  I 
am  self-contained,  I  do  not  need  to  sing  and  pray 
with  other  people.  What  have  I  to  do  with  poor 
folks  and  stupid  people,  and  why  should  I  make 
myself  agreeable  to  those  who  are  nothing  to  me?" 
This  is  plausible,  but  it  is  at  the  same  time  foolish 
and  selfish.  If  you  have  any  power  to  teach  and 
serve  others  you  can  only  neglect  that  power  on 
pain  of  a  great  penalty,  the  penalty  of  belittling 
yourself,  hardening  your  heart  and  narrowing  your 
life.  Like  his  Lord,  Paul  laid  down  his  life  and  it 
came  back  in  new  sweetness  and  strength. 


PAUL'S  LOVE  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS     53 

(1)  This  is  in  a  real  sense  a  new  missionary 
spirit.  The  Gospel  both  on  the  side  of  its  rich 
spiritual  contents  and  its  many-sided  life  had  had 
a  long  preparation,  and  it  came  to  flower  and 
fruitage  in  "the  fulness  of  time."  Statesmen  have 
lived  in  the  spirit  of  sacrifice,  prophets  have  pro- 
claimed God's  righteousness  and  mercy,  thinkers 
have  pondered  reverently  the  mysteries  of  life, 
poets  have  drawn  sweet  songs  out  of  the  hour  of 
sorrow.  All  that  is  true,  and  it  is  also  true  that 
this  lonely  Jew  fettered  at  Rome  is  a  new  kind  of 
missionary,  his  life  marks  an  epoch  in  the  religious 
history  of  the  world.  To  philosophers  at  Athens, 
to  rude  people  among  the  hills  of  Lycaonia,  to  the 
proud  Pharisees  at  Jerusalem,  to  the  conquerors  of 
the  world  at  Rome  he  proclaims  the  same  message 
of  man's  need  and  Christ's  forgiveness.  In  this 
form  missionary  activity  was  a  strange  thing,  a 
turning  of  the  world  upside  down.  It  was  branded 
as  insanity  or  fanaticism,  but  it  was  really  the  love 
of  God  working  in  the  soul  of  a  great  man. 

(2)  This  fellowship  and  work  is  the  true 
"apology"  and  confirmation  of  the  Gospel.  Paul 
claims  this  as  his  work  but  he  does  not  assert 
monopoly  in  it.  In  others  letters  Paul  has  given 
proof  of  his  power  to  apologize  and  defend  in  the 
intellectual  sense,  but  here,  and  indeed  throughout, 
he  suggests  that  the  best  defence  of  the  Gospel  is 
to  live  it.  It  is  not  the  ministry  standing  alone, 
as  a  separate  caste,  but  the  ministry  as  representa- 
tive and  guide  reflecting  the  truth  by  the  help  of 
faithful  people.  The  people  uphold  the  minister, 
their  prayers  create  the  atmosphere  in  which  the 


54  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

highest  preaching  is  possible,  their  lives  show  forth 
the  truth  for  which  he  is  contending ;  suffering  and 
working  together,  minister  and  people  share  the 
same  grace. 

(3)  As  Paul  is  a  link  between  the  disciples  and 
Christ,  so  it  is  through  them  and  not  through 
letters  or  books  that  he  hopes  to  reach  the  great 
circle  outside.  He  cares  for  them  for  their  own 
sakes,  but  also  thinks  of  them  as  the  means  by 
which  others  are  to  be  quickened  and  blessed. 
The  true  hearers  are  not  simply  the  minister's 
congregation ;  they  are  his  medium  of  action  upon 
the  world  that  is  beyond  his  power  of  direct  contact. 
Those  whom  Paul  called  "living  epistles,"  are  gone 
long  ago,  while  the  written  word  remains,  but  we 
must  remember  that  the  faith  has  been  kept  alive 
and  defended  by  the  long  line  of  loyal  men  and 
noble  women.  Let  us  rejoice  in  "apostolic  succes- 
sion," if  only  we  make  the  idea  broad  enough.  Not 
through  centuries  of  vacuum  but  through  an 
atmosphere  made  vital  by  the  prayers  and  hopes 
of  noble  souls  has  the  sacred  deposit  of  truth  been 
handed  down  from  age  to  age.  The  man  who  can 
truly  say  "I  have  you  in  my  heart,"  will  have  his 
message  of  love  scattered  in  ways  that  will  fulfil 
his  highest  hopes. 

(4)  In  this  way  the  true  "enthusiasm  of 
humanity"  is  inspired  by  Christian  faith.  This 
faith  in  the  power  of  grace,  and  the  possibil- 
ity of  spiritual  growth  is  a  great  stimulus 
to  interest  in  men.  The  feeling  that  it  begets  is 
not  that  the  Church  is  an  institution  which  men 
should  be  proud  to  have  the  privilege  of  supporting, 


PAUL'S  LOVE  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS     55 

but  that  the  Church  is  the  company  of  believers 
in  Jesus  Christ  going  forth  to  minister  in  His  name 
and  by  the  power  of  His  spirit  saying  sincerely 
"We  seek  not  yours  but  you."  The  Church  lives 
by  the  giving  of  herself  in  highest  service.  In 
the  days  of  Paul  the  Church  had  no  imposing 
visibility,  no  elaborate  machinery,  no  magnificent 
ceremonies;  all  that  she  had  was  spiritual  life 
manifesting  itself  in  tender  lowly  ways,  and  that  is 
the  one  thing  needful,  the  other  things  may  be 
either  helps  or  hindrances,  but  this  is  essential.  If 
this  life  of  love  was  supreme,  spiritual  life  would  be 
revealed  in  social  service  and  there  would  not  be 
so  many  to  cry,  "No  man  cares  for  my  soul." 

(5)  This  helpful  service  has  its  source  in  the 
love  of  Christ.  "I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels 
(or  tender  mercies)  of  Jesus  Christ."  Paul  knows 
his  own  experience,  he  understands  his  own  life,  he 
sees  clearly  what  power  it  is  that  has  delivered 
him  from  pride  and  exclusiveness.  Because  he  can 
say  "the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  me"  he  can  also 
say  "I  long  after  you  all."  During  His  life-time 
our  Lord  was  compelled  to  confine  His  teaching  and 
personal  contact  to  a  small  circle,  but  now  in  the 
person  of  the  men  who  are  born  into  a  new  hope 
He  goes  forth  to  all  the  world.  They  show  that 
the  love  of  Christ  is  the  mightiest  influence  for 
linking  men  together  and  creating  true  fellowship. 
No  other  force  will  in  the  same  way  bridle  passion, 
destroy  prejudice,  and  subdue  pride.  This  doctrine 
teaches  us  to  regard  helpful  work  for  men  as  the 
truest  service  of  God,  and  makes  "the  communion 
of  saints"  not  a  distant  ideal  but  a  daily  possibility. 


PAUL'S   PRAYER   FOR    HIS  CONVERTS 


CHAPTER  VI 

PAUL'S  PRAYER  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS 

(I  9-1 1) 

The  first  statement  we  read  concerning  Paul,  as 
a  Christian  disciple,  is  the  significant  sentence 
"Behold  he  prayeth."  His  reconciliation  to  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  gave  new  meaning  and 
power  to  his  prayers.  To  him  the  well  known 
words  can  be  most  appropriately  applied, 

"Prayer  is  the  Christian's  vital  breath, 
The  Christian's  native  air." 

The  Christian  religion  did  not  create  prayer,  or 
make  it  the  subject  of  new  commands,  but  its 
higher  revelation  and  deeper  experience  gave  to 
prayer  a  larger  range,  more  varied  expression  and 
sweeter  influence.  The  Hebrew  people  did  not 
lack  noble  models  of  prayer.  The  Book  of  Psalms 
is  a  rich  collection  of  hymns  and  prayers.  The 
Lord  Jesus  taught  His  disciples  to  pray  without 
vain  repetition  or  false  pretension,  but  with  real 
boldness  and  lowly  persistency.  Paul  has  caught 
the  same  spirit  and  shows  his  usual  originality  in 
the  diversified  application  of  prayer  to  the  needs 
of  personal  and  social  life. 

This  epistle  is  suffused  with  personal  feeling, 
every  line  bears  witness  to  the  master's  enthusiastic 
love  and  admiration  for  his  Philippian  disciples, 

59 


60  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

but  he  who  disclaims  perfection  for  himself  does 
not  claim  it  for  them.  Instead,  however,  of  directly 
criticising  their  weak  points,  he  tenderly  suggests 
their  needs  by  telling  them  what  are  the  things  for 
which  he  is  prompted  to  plead  powerfully  to  God 
on  their  behalf.  This  indirect  mode  of  exhortation 
is  effective;  it  is  a  noble  combination  of  tact  and 
sympathy ;  it  unites  generous  recognition  of  present 
achievement  with  the  faith  that  demands  still 
larger  enterprise. 

The  prayer  thus  represents  Paul's  conception  of 
Christianity;  by  expressing  the  Christian's  supreme 
desire,  he  shows  the  real  spirit  and  purpose  of  the 
Christian  life.  "I  am  come  that  ye  might  have 
life"  is  the  Master's  claim.  Paul's  prayer  in  its 
yearning  after  the  fulness  of  that  life  shows  us  its 
content  and  character,  its  aim  and  aspiration. 
Enlargement,  refinement,  enrichment  of  life  is  the 
sum  and  substance  of  the  prayer.  It  is  intensely 
spiritual,  it  is  in  line  with  the  apostle's  own 
exhortation  "Covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts."  It 
lifts  us  into  a  realm  above  all  jangling  controversy, 
into  the  calm  regions  above  the  clouds.  Such 
prayer  is  the  expression  of  the  deepest  self  in  the 
presence  of  God,  it  is  childlike,  simple,  yet  it  is  the 
source  of  strength.  The  man  who  thus  goes  out 
after  God  comes  back  to  the  world's  strife  and  the 
daily  care  of  his  own  life  with  the  breath  of  heaven 
fresh  upon  his  soul. 

The  central  fact,  the  inspiring  force  of  the  Chris- 
tian life  is  love.  "God  so  loved  the  world."  Here 
we  have  a  statement  as  to  the  source  of  redemption, 
the  first  point  in  its  marvellous  history.     Then, 


PAUL'S  PRAYER  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS  61 

Paul  found  in  the  Old  Testament  the  preparation 
of  redemption  through  the  preaching  of  men  in- 
spired by  the  love  of  God,  and  by  pity  for  their 
fellows.  And  as  the  great  culmination  there  comes 
the  actual  manifestation  of  redemption  in  His  Son. 
It  is  all  love,  love  teaching,  toiling  and  suffering. 
Out  of  all  this  comes  the  realization  of  redemption 
when  the  penitent  soul  bowing  before  the  Cross 
can  say  "We  love  because  He  first  loved  us."  The 
Philippians  had  been  won  by  the  preaching  of  that 
love,  their  present  need  is  growth  in  the  same 
spirit  so  that  the  whole  of  their  life  may  enriched 
and  transfigured. 

THE    WELL-BALANCED    LIFE 

Paul  desires  a  noble  symmetry  of  life.  He  con- 
ceives of  love  as  a  spiritual  force  but  not  as  mere 
emotion  or  rapture.  This  love  must  grow  in 
knowledge,  it  must  advance  in  keenness  and  clear- 
ness of  perception.  Paul  is  not  sectarian  in  his 
treatment  of  the  soul;  he  does  not,  as  we  are  apt 
to  do,  set  one  faculty  or  function  against  another. 
He  would  cherish  both  intelligence  and  enthusiasm 
and  have  them  fairly  blended  and  well-balanced. 
Love  must  grow  but  it  must  grow  into  the  light,  it 
must  increase  in  insight,  it  must  have  a  larger 
outlook  as  well  as  greater  intensity.  Never  was 
there  a  teacher  who  would  be  less  content  than 
Paul  to  have  the  religion  of  his  converts  remain 
a  matter  of  mere  outward  rule  however  correct,  or 
of  blind  impulse  however  strong.  Paul  here 
claims  for  religion  the  emotional,  the  intellectual 
and  aesthetic  sides  of  the  personal  life,  all  of  them, 


62  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

and  altogether.  In  his  view  the  Christian  life  must 
be  full,  symmetrical,  well  balanced.  Human  nature 
has  been  torn  apart  by  sectarianism ;  attempts  have 
been  made  to  build  churches  upon  one  faculty  of 
human  nature  or  on  one  side  of  human  life.  "We 
appeal  to  the  intellect"  says  one,  "We  speak  to  the 
heart"  cries  another,  "We  show  forth  the  beauty  of 
worship"  claims  a  third.  All  that  is  to  Paul  just 
as  much  sectarianism  as  the  thing  that  he  rebukes 
so  sharply  in  the  beginning  of  his  letter  to  the 
Corinthians.  He  desires  that  his  disciples  shall 
grow  in  all  these  directions  and  combine  all  these 
gifts.  Nowhere  does  his  conception  of  life  shine 
out  more  clearly  than  in  this  beautiful  comprehen- 
sive prayer  in  which  he  longs  after  the  highest 
good  of  those  who  are  in  a  spiritual  sense  his 
children. 

Growth  in  religious  experience  means  for  Paul 
enlargement  of  personality,  it  is  the  life  of  the  soul 
with  all  its  capacities  quickened,  blossoming  out 
in  all  possible  directions,  into  new  forms  of  loveli- 
ness and  helpfulness.  Those  who  in  our  own  day 
lay  claim  to  catholicity  of  sympathy  and  think 
they  have  a  monopoly  of  "sweetness  and  light" 
would  do  well  to  consider  the  wonderful  range  as 
well  as  the  intense  spirituality  of  this  apostle  of  the 
new  faith.  He  sees  the  importance  of  the  social 
order ;  for  him  even  in  dark  days  of  persecution  the 
powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God;  he  gives  a 
picture  of  the  Church  as  an  organic  unity  which  is 
at  once  philosophic  and  poetic;  but  for  him  the 
supreme  power  is  the  living  personality  enfran- 
chised by  the  truth  and  constrained  by  the  love  of 


PAUL'S  PRAYER  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS  63 

Christ.  This  leads  him  to  see  tremendous  possi- 
bilities in  the  lives  of  men  who  have  been  neglected 
or  starved;  to  the  faith  that  links  them  to  Jesus,  to 
the  love  that  opens  the  door  of  heaven,  all  things  are 
possible.  Hence  this  strong  man  is  patient  toward 
weakness  and  reserves  his  fiery  scorn  for  hypocrisy 
and  bigotry.  His  passionate  persistent  prayer  is 
that  those  who  are  babes  in  Christ  may  advance  to 
the  maturity  of  Christian  life. 

(1)  This  life  is  marked  by  brotherly  love  that 
moves  in  the  light  of  knowledge  and  is  endowed 
with  a  fine  sensitiveness,  a  keen,  delicate  percep- 
tion of  the  fitness  of  things.  The  inspiration  of 
such  a  life  is  the  love  of  Christ  which,  when  it  draws 
men  to  Himself,  links  them  together,  in  a  real 
spiritual  friendship.  To  be  a  Christian  is  to  be  in 
the  real  sense  a  gentleman ;  love  rightly  understood 
is  an  enlightening  and  refining  influence.  Kindly 
sentiment  and  joyful  enthusiasm  are  good  and 
are  often  found  in  great  fulness  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Christian  life,  especially  in  those  who  have  been 
suddenly  lifted  into  the  glory  of  a  new  experience 
and  thrilled  by  a  new  hope.  That  these  powers 
need  to  be  guided  by  increase  of  intelligence  and 
new  delicacy  of  feeling  is  manifest.  The  more 
perfect  knowledge  of  Jesus,  the  fuller  insight  into 
the  meaning  and  power  of  His  life — this  need  not 
lessen  the  intensity  of  emotion  but  it  will  guide  it 
into  right  channels,  and  give  it  nobler  modes  of 
manifestation.  Love  will  thus  gain  a  larger  out- 
look into  God's  great  world,  and  will,  at  the  same 
time,  find  new  beauty  in  the  little  world  in  which 
it  moves. 


64  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

(2)  This  means  an  increase  in  spiritual  dis- 
cernment in  one's  own  conduct,  as  well  as  a  richer 
harmony  between  ourselves  and  the  fellowship  to 
which  we  belong.  "To  distinguish  things  that 
differ"  or  "to  approve  things  that  are  excellent." 
This  means  a  thoughtful  life,  it  is  the  attitude  of 
a  soul  always  active  and  alert.  It  does  not  pre- 
suppose that  the  disciple  has  a  priest  whom  he 
can  consult  in  every  emergency  and  who  will  take 
the  responsibility  in  doubtful  cases,  or  that  he 
carries  in  his  pocket  a  programme  with  detailed 
prescriptions  for  every  day  and  hour.  Those 
courses  may  be  easier,  but  they  are  the  easy  ways 
that  lead  to  weakness  and  stagnation.  The  con- 
stant exercise  of  moral  discrimination  under  the 
guidance  of  God's  spirit  will  give  a  man  the  power 
to  choose  the  true  and  beautiful  with  instinctive 
speed  and  accuracy.  The  fierce  battles  in  the 
wilderness  of  temptation  will  issue  in  calm,  clear 
choice  in  the  face  of  perplexing  circumstances. 

(3)  The  discipline  will  have  two  results  for 
which  Paul  prays  and  hopes;  (a)  Purity  of  life. 
A  life  that  will  stand  the  test  of  the  light  of 
Christ's  presence,  and  a  life  that  is  helpful,  not 
harmful,  to  the  society  in  which  it  moves.  This 
life  may  not  be  absolutely  perfect  but  it  is  genuine, 
there  is  no  sham  or  unreality  about  it.  This  is 
the  life  of  a  man  who  endeavours  to  live  always  in 
the  light  of  God's  judgment.  The  apostle  does 
not  say,  all  life  according  to  my  rule,  or  a  life  that 
will  win  applause,  but  a  life  that  will  bear  the  light 
of  heaven  and  that  will  not  place  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  the  brethren. 


PAUL'S  PRAYER  FOR  HIS  CONVERTS  65 

(b)  Paul  can  never  be  content  with  a  negative 
view,  however  noble  that  may  be;  this  life  must 
be  in  the  fullest  sense  fruitful.  Abstinence  from  a 
few  evil  or  questionable  things  may  suffice  to 
make  a  conventional  Christian,  but  falls  far  short 
of  the  aspiration  of  a  living  disciple.  The  very 
word  "fruit"  suggests  life,  it  speaks  of  the  healthy 
root,  the  good  soil,  the  dew  and  rain,  the  sun  and 
air.  The  fruits  of  gentle  goodness  and  peaceful 
purity  are  the  sure  proof  of  Christ's  redeeming 
power  and  the  highest  form  of  praise  to  God. 
God  is  glorified  when  the  life  of  His  Son  re-appears 
in  the  varied  lowly  forms  of  discipleship.  This  is 
the  real  "eucharist,"  it  is  not  confined  to  temples 
or  limited  to  holy  festival  or  sacred  song,  the 
godly  life  joins  on  to  all  God's  noblest  works,  it  is 
the  highest  hymn  of  creation. 


PAUL   THE    PRISONER 


CHAPTER  VII 

PAUL  THE  PRISONER 

(I  12—20) 

This,  like  many  another  short  passage  in  his 
writings,  mirrors  for  us  the  powerful  personality 
of  the  apostle;  it  shows  his  clear  conviction,  his 
unconquerable  confidence,  his  tender  consid- 
eration for  others.  He  refers  to  his  imprisonment 
not  for  the  sake  of  winning  sympathy  but  in 
order  to  lessen  the  anxiety  of  his  friends.  With- 
out affectation  or  pretension  he  calls  them  to 
rejoice  in  the  fact  that  his  sufferings  had  been 
overruled  for  the  general  good. 

CIRCUMSTANCES    AND    PROVIDENCE 

Paul  did  not  seek  persecution;  the  path  of  duty 
led  directly  to  the  prison  door.  Yet  he  had  con- 
siderable experience  of  this  kind;  once  he  spent  a 
night  in  a  dungeon  at  Philippi,  for  two  years  he 
remained  a  prisoner  at  Caesarea,  and  now  we  see 
him  held  under  guard  in  the  imperial  city.  There 
were  in  those  days  rash  disciples  who  displayed 
too  much  eagerness  for  martyrdom.  In  many 
cases  these  were  weak  disciples  whose  enthusiasm 
flared  up  into  a  passing  flame  instead  of  burning 
with  a  steady  glow.  Strength  may  show  itself 
even  more  in   patient   waiting  than  in   reckless 

69 


70  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

fighting.  Paul  was  brave  enough  to  retreat  when 
that  was  best  and  wisest.  He  had  no  morbid 
desire  for  notoriety  and  could  find  sufficient  suffer- 
ing without  seeking  it.  To  a  man  of  his  ener- 
getic temperament  imprisonment  was  hard  to 
bear,  it  was  not  easy  for  him  to  be  "cabin'd, 
cribb'd,  confin'd,"  but  God  gave  him  power  to  see 
beyond  the  present  affliction. 

He  had  long  desired  to  visit  the  capital  of  the 
world  for  the  sake  of  bearing  his  testimony.  He 
was  a  great  general,  he  had  an  eye  for  strategic 
points,  he  did  not  despise  small  places,  but  he  was 
eager  to  send  the  influence  of  the  gospel  out  into 
the  large  currents  of  the  world's  life.  In  a  strange 
way  his  desire  was  fulfilled;  Roman  soldiers 
brought  the  great  preacher  to  Rome  as  a  prisoner. 
The  great  conquerors  entered  Rome  in  triumph, 
acclaimed  by  the  fickle  crowd  and  with  broken- 
hearted kings  and  wretched  slaves  in  their  train 
as  visible  proofs  of  their  power;  Paul  came  as  an 
obscure  captive,  weary  and  travel-stained  but  he 
has  proved  to  be  a  greater  force  in  the  world's 
highest  life  than  any  conquering  Caesar.  The 
documents  he  sent  from  his  prison  have  had  more 
permanent  power  than  the  edicts  of  the  emperor. 
The  power  of  the  living  voice  is  great,  and  none 
valued  it  more  than  Paul,  but  the  literature  born 
of  inspiring  love  and  pure  loyalty  is  a  lasting 
power  for  good.  The  situation  is  strongly  pre- 
sented in  the  following  passage.  "History  has 
few  stranger  contrasts  than  when  it  shows  us  Paul 
preaching  Christ  under  the  wall  of  Nero's  palace. 
Thenceforward  there  were  but  two  religions  in 


PAUL  THE  PRISONER  71 

the  Roman  world;  the  worship  of  the  Emperor 
and  the  worship  of  the  Saviour.  The  old  super- 
stitions had  been  long  worn  out;  they  had  lost  all 
hold  on  educated  minds.  There  remained  to  civil- 
ised heathens  no  other  worship  possible  but  the 
worship  of  power;  and  the  incarnation  of  power 
which  they  chose  was,  very  naturally,  the  Sover- 
eign of  the  world.  This,  then,  was  the  ultimate 
result  of  the  noble  intuitions  of  Plato,  the  meth- 
odical reasonings  of  Aristotle,  the  pure  morality 
of  Socrates.  All  had  failed  for  want  of  external 
sanction  and  authority.  The  residuum  they  left 
was  the  philosophy  of  Epicurus  and  the  religion 
of  Nerolatry.  But  a  new  doctrine  was  already 
taught  in  the  forum,  and  believed  even  on  the 
Palatine.  Over  against  altars  of  Nero  and  Pop- 
paea,  the  voice  of  a  prisoner  was  daily  heard,  and 
daily  woke  in  grovelling  souls  the  consciousness 
of  their  divine  destiny.  Men  listened  and  knew 
that  self-sacrifice  was  better  than  ease,  humili- 
ation more  exalted  than  pride,  to  suffer  nobler 
than  to  reign.  They  felt  that  the  only  religion 
which  satisfied  the  needs  of  man  was  the  religion 
of  sorrow,  the  religion  of  self-devotion,  the  religion 
of  the  cross." 

paul's  self-forgetfulness 

It  is  easy  to  seem  to  be  modest  by  hiding  oneself 
behind  general  terms;  Paul  does  not  adopt  this 
course,  he  is  both  particular  and  personal.  He 
uses  the  pronoun  "I"  freely,  he  talks  about  him- 
self; and  yet  we  feel  that  in  the  deepest  sense  he 
is  forgetting  himself.     He  discusses  his  imprison- 


72  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

ment  not  from  the  point  of  view  of  his  personal 
likes  or  dislikes  but  simply  and  solely  in  its  rela- 
tion to  the  life  of  his  fellowmen  and  the  spread  of 
the  gospel.  In  this  spirit  and  from  this  stand- 
point he  discusses  the  question  of  "Circumstance 
and  Providence."  He  can  look  back  and  say, 
"Thou  hast  led  me  by  a  way  that  I  knew  not 
of." 

The  Jews  having  failed  to  stop  his  work  by 
means  of  the  assassin's  dagger  rejoiced  to  think 
that  his  imprisonment  would  check  his  career. 
The  disciples  mourned  that  such  v.  mighty  soldier 
should  be  withdrawn  from  the  field  of  battle. 
Paul  himself  chafed  under  restraint  and  feared 
that  his  usefulness  might  be  crippled.  Now  he  is 
able  to  view  it  in  a  full  clear  light  and  see  some 
measure  of  its  meaning.  Again  the  divine  wisdom 
and  love  are  vindicated;  life's  "happenings"  are 
seen  to  be  controlled  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God. 
The  gracious  influence  went  out  from  this  great 
personality  in  ever-widening  circles.  The  soldiers 
who  took  turns  in  guarding  this  strange  prisoner 
were  rough  men  used  to  scenes  of  vice  and  blood- 
shed but  they  could  recognize  a  good  man  when 
they  came  in  contact  with  him.  They  learned 
that  this  man  had  not  committed  any  crime  and 
that  he  was  held  in  prison  on  account  of  his  reli- 
gious beliefs.  They  heard  him  speak,  sing,  and 
pray,  they  saw  how  gentle  he  was  in  his  inter- 
course with  the  disciples,  they  felt  that  there  was 
a  strong  power  in  the  story  of  the  crucified  Naza- 
rene.  Some  of  these  soldiers  suffered  for  the 
faith  thus  kindled  in  them,  others  carried  it  into 


PAUL  THE  PRISONER  73 

remote  parts  of  the  world.  It  needs  a  great  man 
to  make  an  influential  martyr,  and  Paul  stood 
that  test ;  the  more  those  nearest  to  him  examined 
the  character  of  his  sufferings  and  his  manner  of 
bearing  it,  the  more  did  the  beauty  of  his  life  shine 
out. 

On  Christians  of  different  shades  the  effect  of 
this  imprisonment  was  various;  friendly  disciples 
were  mad^  bold  to  give  a  clearer  stronger  testi- 
mony; the  Judaizing  opponents  of  Paul  were  also 
stimulated  to  greater  activity,  and  they  no  doubt 
expected  to  gain  an  advantage  for  their  narrow 
peculiar  views.  Paul  calmly  fixes  his  eye  on  the 
result  as  a  whole,  and  rejoices  that  in  so  many 
ways  the  gospel  is  made  known. 

paul's  confidence  in  the  gospel 

The  state  of  things  thus  revealed  in  the  church 
at  Rome  is  not  satisfactory,  but  Paul  does  not 
seek  to  hide  anything.  He  has  no  desire  to  spread 
slander  or  to  increase  scandal,  but  he  knows  that 
real  bravery  consists  in  facing  the  actual  facts  of 
any  situation.  He  was  no  doubt  influenced  by 
personal  feeling,  what  man  is  not?  But  he  is  not 
the  kind  of  man  to  regard  the  phrases  "my 
friends"  "my  enemies"  as  containing  an  ex- 
haustive classification  of  the  world.  The  supreme 
emphasis  is  laid  upon  the  fact  that  this  activity, 
varied  as  it  was,  had  helped  forward  the  spread  of 
the  gospel.  He  has  the  robust  faith  that  can  look 
the  unpleasant  facts  in  the  face  and  rejoice  that 
the  truth  is  not  a  feeble  thing  to  be  discredited 


74  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

by  the  strife  of  faction  or  destroyed  by  the  power 
of  persecution.  "What  care  I  for  parties  and 
personalities?  I  desire  to  care  supremely  for  the 
truth.  I  rejoice  that  Christ  is  preached  in  many 
ways  and  that  my  sufferings  have  stimulated  such 
preaching.  The  people  who  wish  to  irritate  me 
I  try  to  forget  and  I  pray  that  out  of  their  preach- 
ing good  may  come."  Here  we  have  the  breadth 
and  boldness  of  a  living  faith. 

There  is  implied  also  a  tender  thought  of  God. 
Paul  says  even  through  the  dust  and  din  of  con- 
troversy God  will  lead  His  truth  to  victory  and  He 
will  take  care  of  me.  This  shall  bring  blessing  to 
me  through  the  deepening  of  my  life.  This  heroic 
man  who  more  than  others  of  his  time  possessed 
the  power  to  stand  alone  finds  consolation  in 
God's  care  and  the  prayers  of  God's  people.  Paul 
knew  that  by  this  golden  chain  of  prayer  he  was 
bound  securely  to  the  throne  of  God.  Hence  he 
can  cherish  the  confidence  that  the  cause  will 
prosper  and  that  he  himself  will  not  be  defeated 
and  put  to  shame.  He  has  to  face  the  two  com- 
mon enemies,  life  and  death,  and  he  is  confident 
that  by  God's  grace  he  will  conquer  both.  To  the 
thoughtful  man  death  is  the  weaker  foe.  It  is  a 
tragic  thing  for  a  man  who  has  some  touch  of 
nobility  to  live  too  long,  to  outlive  his  usefulness, 
to  mar  a  glorious  past.  Paul  was  not  afraid  to 
live,  but  he  was  afraid  to  be  left  alone  with  life's 
battles  and  temptations  lest  he  should  become  a 
castaway.  He  looks  into  the  face  of  the  dreadful 
possibility  and  then  learns  once  more  that  the  will 


PAUL  THE  PRISONER  75 

of  God  is  best  and  the  presence  of  Christ  sufficient. 
He  will  go  back  hopefully  to  the  cares  and  uncer- 
tainties of  life  confident  that  the  gospel  meets  all 
needs,  it  fits  for  life  or  death,  it  checks  presump- 
tion, banishes  cowardly  fear,  and  brings  into  the 
heart  God's  perfect  peace. 


BETWEEN    LIFE   AND    DEATH 


CHAPTER  VIII 

BETWEEN  LIFE  AND  DEATH 
(I,  21-26)' 

These  words  do  not  express  a  cool  speculation 
or  a  nicely  balanced  preference  but  are  rather  the 
outcome  of  clear  vision  and  strong  emotion. 
The  writer  has  just  expressed  the  confidence  that 
the  grace  given  in  answer  to  prayer,  will  so  stimu- 
late and  support  him  that,  in  any  case,  he  will 
continue  to  manifest  his  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Now  he  solemnly  looks  both  life  and  death  in  the 
face.  The  broken  clause  bears  witness  to  the 
intensity  of  thought  and  depth  of  feeling,  but  the 
drift  of  the  passage  is  quite  clear  and  shows  us  a 
man  who  was  strongly  appealed  to  by  the  rival 
attractions  of  life  and  death,  and  not  prepared  to 
make  a  definite  statement  of  personal  choice. 

Some  may  say,  why  discuss  at  all  a  matter 
which  is  not  in  one's  own  power  to  settle?  A 
question  which  forgets  that  the  human  spirit  does 
not  easily  recognize  any  narrow,  definite  limits 
within  which  it  may  pursue  its  activities.  The 
way  in  which  a  strong  man  carries  himself  in  the 
great  hours  of  his  life  is  a  highly  interesting  reve- 
lation. The  Christian  religion  does  not  cramp 
thought  and  shut  up  the  passionate  working  of 
the  spirit  behind  the  strong  barriers  of  a  fixed 

79 


80  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

fate.  Paul  knew  that  his  future  was  in  the  hands 
of  God,  and  with  all  modesty  he  would  have 
repeated  to  Nero  the  words  of  his  Lord  to  Pilate, 
"Thou  couldst  have  no  power  at  all  except  it 
were  given  from  above."  Hence  he  did  not  see 
that  it  was  wrong  to  look  out  into  the  future  with 
wistful  eyes,  and  express  in  a  submissive  spirit 
his  own  uncertain  feelings.  It  is  good  that  the 
Heavenly  Father  keeps  to  himself  power  of  the 
future  and  knowledge  concerning  it.  Each  man 
must  learn  for  himself  the  wisdom  and  kindness 
of  this  arrangement,  but  the  way  to  learn  it  is 
through  the  free,  full  play  of  his  own  thoughts. 

The  question,  is  it  better  to  die  or  to  live?  can- 
not be  answered  in  a  general  fashion;  and  even 
when  it  is  associated  with  a  particular  person  it 
is  not  a  matter  of  direct  decision.  At  most,  we  can 
simply  learn  what  is  the  spirit  in  which  a  loyal, 
Christian  disciple  will  face  such  a  question.  Paul 
gives  a  statement  of  the  case,  but  not  a  settlement 
of  the  question. 

It  is  sometimes  charged  against  the  Christian 
religion  that  it  leads  men  to  take  a  false  view  of 
life,  and  a  selfish  view  of  death.  It  kindles  an 
ecstatic  rapture  which  makes  men  discontented 
with  the  prosaic  realities  of  life  and  leads  them  to 
long  for  a  luxurious,  sensuous  heaven.  This  con- 
tention, in  so  far  as  it  has  any  truth,  simply  shows 
the  unfairness  of  judging  any  religion  or  system 
of  thought  by  the  onesided  representation  of  its 
feeblest  followers.  Enthusiastic  martyrs  have 
welcomed  death  so  eagerly,  that  their  enemies 
have  been  led  to  regard  their  religion  as  a  fatal 


BETWEEN  LIFE  AND  DEATH  81 

fanaticism,  which  kindled  in  their  minds  a  blind 
hatred  of  life.  Even  the  great  teachers  have 
been  inclined  to  insist  too  much  on  the  power  "to 
die  well,"  as  the  main  proof  of  the  inspiration  and 
solace  that  comes  from  religion.  Without  such 
fearless  enthusiasm,  without  the  high  conscious- 
ness that  even  life  may  be  purchased  too  dearly, 
great  movements  could  never  have  fought  their 
way  in  the  face  of  fierce  bigotry  and  cruel  perse- 
cution; but  on  the  other  hand  it  is  well  to  be 
reminded  that  in  rapturous  exalted  moods  there 
is  as  much  danger  of  a  narrow  selfishness  as  in 
any  other  form  of  life.  Paul's  balanced  statement, 
his  lack  of  prompt  decision  and  definite  choice, 
gives  us  a  noble  vision  of  life  and  a  sublime  thought 
of  death;  from  this  point  of  view,  life  is  a  sacred 
trust,  and  death  a  great  deliverance. 

THE    CHRISTIAN'S    JUDGMENT    OF    LIFE 

A  man's  judgment  of  life  deptlids  upon  the  prin- 
ciple from  which  he  lives.  "For  me  to  live  is 
Christ."  Christ  is  the  source  of  inspiration,  or 
in  other  words,  of  the  power  to  plan  and  work 
which  comes  from  the  possession  of  truth  and 
love.  To  the  believing  man,  who  has  a  real  rela- 
tionship with  Christ,  life  is  a  process,  a  constant 
movement  made  hopeful  by  this  possibility  of 
growing  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  of  trans- 
forming that  knowledge  into  fruitful  service. 
Paul  felt  that  his  life  was  small  and  poor  com- 
pared with  the  rich  full-orbed  life  of  Jesus,  but 
he  gloried  in  the  fact  that  a  life  the  same  in  kind 
as  that  which  redeemed  the  world  had  been  im- 


82  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

parted  to  him.  He  could  bear  the  cross  as  well 
as  glory  in  it;  he  could  rejoice  in  Christ  as  the 
beginning  and  end  of  his  life;  and  because  the 
spirit  of  the  Christ  was  in  him,  he  knew  that  the 
struggle  after  Christlikeness  was  not  in  vain. 
Life,  character,  service,  all  that  these  simple 
strong  words  represent  comes  to  him  through  his 
loyalty  to  Jesus.  Life  is  thus  looked  at  from 
within,  and  not  judged  or  described  from  its  mere 
circumstances  or  drapery.  What  it  is  in  its  real 
nature,  in  relation  to  the  man  himself,  and  in 
relation  to  his  fellowmen  is  the  chief  point  of 
consideration.  It  is  an  experience  of  communion 
with  Christ,  knowledge  of  His  character,  and 
sympathy  with  His  purposes.  It  is  a  process  of 
growth  in  the  attainments  and  achievements  that 
spring  from  this  spiritual  fellowship.  It  is  an 
opportunity  for  service,  a  day  for  fruitful  toil. 
Thus,  life  has  meaning,  aim,  and  hope.  Because 
the  cross  of  Christ  does  not  mean  defeat  but  con- 
quest through  humiliation.  The  life  of  the  dis- 
ciple is  a  process,  which  is  ever  turning  defeat  into 
victory.  Life  may  be  a  wearisome  labour,  a  hard 
battle,  but  it  cannot  in  this  view  be  a  complete 
blank,  or  a  bitter  disappointment;  nor  can  it  ever 
be  said  of  it,  that  all  is  "Vanity  and  vexation  of 
spirit."  A  religion  that  cannot  redeem  life  will 
never  really  glorify  death. 

THE    CHRISTIAN'S    VIEW    OF    DEATH 

Paul  does  not  say,  "Death  is  loss,  we  lose  this 
warm,  cheerful  life  with  all  its  beauty  and  music, 
and  pass  into  the  dark  unknown."     There  was  for 


BETWEEN  LIFE  AND  DEATH  83 

him  something  behind  and  beyond  death,   pos- 
sessing  real    power    and    positive    attractiveness; 
hence  he  could  say,  "To  die  is  gain."     That  is  an 
utterance  of  faith,  reached,  not  by  reasoning  from 
a  creed,  but  by  seeing  the  real  outcome  of  God- 
given  life.     This  life  of  union  and  fellowship  with 
Christ  is  a  power  that  death  cannot  destroy.     If 
it  is  possible  to  live  in  the  presence  of  Christ  now, 
and  work  under  His  inspiration,  then,  behind  the 
veil,  there  is  the  same  possibility  in  a  richer  form. 
There  is  no  attempt  at  an  elaborate  description 
of  that  other  life;  the  life  beyond  as  well  as  the 
life  here  is  viewed  in  its  essential  spirit,  not  in  its 
circumstances.     Here,  as  elsewhere"  he  reminds  us, 
that  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  and  prophesy 
in  part.     But  even  in  the  dim  light  of  the  present 
the  man  who  is  really  united  to  Christ  can  assert 
his  deep  intelligent  conviction,  that  neither  life 
nor  death  can  separate  the  loyal  soul  from  the 
love   of    God.     Life   is   communion   and   service; 
death   is  rest   and  freedom;  how  then   shall  we 
rightly  stand  between  the  two  ? 

THE    CHRISTIAN    SPIRIT    OF    SUBMISSION 

It  is  possible  now  to  see  how  a  strong  man 
could  feel  a  strong  appeal  from  both  sides.  Life 
has  its  natural  attraction;  the  instinct  of  self- 
preservation  is  a  strong  God-given  feeling.  Life 
has  its  claims;  our  friends  and  our  work  hold  us 
fast.  Death  also  has  its  attractions,  for  it  means 
rest  from  toil,  freedom  from  pain,  deliverance 
from  persecution.  It  means  that  our  work,  in  so 
far  as  it  is  God's  work,  shall  be  lifted  away  from 


84  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

failure  and  misinterpretation,  into  a  larger,  more 
satisfying  light.  Life  has  its  call  to  duty,  and 
death  its  call  to  blessedness. 

The  common  view  is  that  Paul  states  that  he 
does  not  know  what  to  choose  on  the  whole.  It 
seems  more  likely  that  he  declines  to  make  a 
definite  personal  choice  (see  R.  V.  margin).  We 
"can  see  quite  clearly  what  he  would  choose  if  he 
were  deciding  the  question  from  his  personal 
point  of  view.  He  was  a  tried  worker,  a  veteran 
soldier;  we  do  not  expect  him  to  hear  the  authori- 
tative words  spoken  to  the  youthful  Peter  "Thou 
canst  not  follow  me  now,  but  thou  shalt  follow 
afterwards"  (John  XIII,  36).  He  might  well 
wish  "to  cross  the  bar,"  and  see  his  Pilot  face  to 
face,  or  to  break  up  the  camp,  and  go  and  meet  the 
Captain  of  his  salvation.  From  the  standpoint 
of  his  own  blessed  satisfaction,  this  was  more 
desirable  and  advantageous.  He  does  not  say 
"I  am  nothing,  I  have  no  views,  no  desires,  Christ 
has  crushed  them."  If  he  does  not  make  a 
choice,  he  gives  a  full  frank  revelation  of  all  that 
was  in  his  heart,  in  the  hours  when  death  seemed 
a  prize  to  be  longed  for. 

But  a  man  who  does  not  live  unto  himself  can- 
not look  at  death  as  a  mere  personal  convenience. 
He  knows  that  there  is  still  work  for  him  to  do, 
and  he  is  confident  that  he  will  be  spared  to  do  it. 
The  conviction  that  the  faithful  man  is  not  called 
until  his  task  is  done  has  sustained  the  noblest 
men  in  their  trying  hours.  A  kindly  providence, 
not  cold  fate  guides  the  Church  of  God.  The 
true  representative   of  the  Christian  faith  shows 


BETWEEN  LIFE  AND  DEATH  85 

neither  a  proud  defiant  stoicism  nor  a  fanatical 
zeal  for  the  martyr's  crown.  That  a  man's  career  is 
in  the  hands  of  God,  and  that  it  means  something 
for  others;  these  two  thoughts  give  steadiness  to 
the  soul  in  the  hour  of  highest  rapture.  Whether 
the  expectations  are  fulfilled  in  the  exact  form  is 
unimportant;  the  principle  that  gives  vitality  is 
true  and  everlasting.  On  this  principle  the  rev- 
erent man  who  looks  calmly  into  the  face  of  both 
life  and  death  is  able  to  state  frankly  his  own 
thoughts  and,  at  the  same  time,  leave  the  uncer- 
tain future  in  the  care  of  the  Father. 


A   TIMELY    EXHORTATION 


CHAPTER  IX 

A  TIMELY  EXHORTATION 

(I  27-30) 
FELLOWSHIP    IN    SUFFERING 

This  strong  word  is  sent  from  a  man  who  had 
been  called  to  suffer  in  many  ways  for  his  faith, 
that  it  may  be.  the  means  of  strengthening  those 
who  were  face  to  face  with  fierce  and  continual 
opposition.  Paul's  conflict  at  Philippi  they  saw, 
when  he  first  preached  the  gospel  there;  the 
nature  of  his  present  suffering  they  can  learn  from 
his  messenger;  from  these  two  periods  of  his  min- 
istry they  see  clearly  that  his  faithfulness  to  Jesus 
had  involved  him  in  a  life-long  struggle.  He, 
however,  does  not  claim  a  unique,  isolated  posi- 
tion; as  disciples,  in  proportion  to  their  energy 
and  faithfulness,  they  also  had  endured  the  same 
conflict  or  agony.  Though  different  in  position 
and  ability,  the  humblest  disciple  can,  in  a  meas- 
ure, understand  the  life  of  apostleship  and  mar- 
tyrdom. The  glory  of  the  Christian  faith  is  that 
it  is  not  merely  an  intellectual  dogma  for  learned 
men,  or  a  sacramental  mystery,  a  monopoly  for 
priests,  but  a  common  life  to  be  shared  by  the 
whole  body  of  the  faithful;  and  it  is  through  this 
life  that  the  revelation  of  God  is  brought  to  bear 
upon  the  world.     The  Christian  religion  claims  to 

89 


90  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

have  the  highest  revelation  in  the  gentle  lowly 
form;  this  revelation  linked  itself  to  all  that  was 
noblest  in  the  past,  and  since  its  manifestation  it 
has  continued  to  work  through  the  lives  of  men. 
Paul  puts  his  life  into  his  preaching  in  a  most  deli- 
cate, useful  way.  He  does  not  boast  of  high 
achievement,  he  does  not  expose  his  inner  life  in 
any  morbid  fashion,  but  so  much  of  his  personal 
life,  as  shall  bring  him  into  close  contact  with  his 
fellow  disciples,  he  allows  to  colour  his  teaching. 
Similar  treatment  he  desires  from  them;  let  them 
gain  all  possible  help  from  him,  from  the  power 
of  his  presence,  from  his  kindly  messages,  from 
the  thought  of  unceasing  interest  and  prayerful 
sympathy;  but  let  them  never  forget  that  they 
have  a  life  of  their  own,  which  must  vindicate 
itself  in  the  face  of  a  hostile  world.  The  more 
they  were  enthusiastic  and  receptive  in  his  pres- 
ence the  more  will  he  be  disappointed  if  they 
fail  to  prove  the  reality  and  independence  of  their 
own  life.  Men  can  only  have  the  noblest  fellow- 
ship in  faith  and  suffering  who  have  an  individual 
life  and  an  original  experience. 

STAND    FIRM    AND    STAND    TOGETHER 

Though  it  is  true  that  we  give  the  highest 
honour  to  our  teachers  when  we  learn  to  walk 
alone  and  apply  their  principles  in  our  own  way, 
yet  it  is  a  worthy  motive  and  a  helpful  stimulus  to 
remember  their  personal  interest  in  us  and  their 
hope  concerning  us.  Whether  Paul  can  visit 
these  disciples  or  is  compelled  to  remain  absent, 
his  highest  satisfaction  will  be  in  this,  that  they 


A  TIMELY  EXHORTATION  91 

act  as  citizens  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  that  they  show  themselves  consistent 
members    of   the   new    Christian    commonwealth. 
(III.   20).     This  word  "behave  as  citizens"  cor- 
rects  a  narrow  individualism,   and   suggests  the 
true  nature  of  that  religious  life  which  finds  its 
real  development  not  merely  in  lonely  discipline 
but  also  in  social  communion.     The  standing  fast 
does  not  refer  simply  to  firmness  of  personal  char- 
acter; it  involves  loyalty  to  the  brotherhood.     To 
guard  one's  own  life  is  important,  but  to  defend 
the  Church  is  also  a  sacred  duty.     This  is  always 
true,   but   the  truth  was   very   clear   and   vivid, 
when  the  Church,  as  the  embodiment  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  was  fighting  to  gain  a  foothold  in  this 
alien  world.     To-day  it  may  be  the  duty  of  Chris- 
tian men  to  purify  politics  and  ennoble  citizen- 
ship   and    bring    the   whole    social    life   of    their 
town   and  'country   as   near    as    possible   to    the 
Christian     ideal  —  a     high    and     difficult     task. 
That   was   not,    however,   precisely   the   problem 
that  Paul  and  his  followers  had  to  face.     The  first 
need  was  rather  to  create  a  community  of  men 
and  women  who  were  united  by  faith  in  one  God 
and  loyalty  to  a  common  Saviour.     This  called 
for  two  forms  of  activity,  a  consistent  working 
out  of  the  personal  faith,  and  a  loyal  co-operation 
with  men 'of  "like  precious  faith." 

Unity  is  a  great  need  of  the  Christian  Church, 
A  united  Church  would  certainly  be  an  impressive 
sight;  and  if  it  possessed  intelligence  and  sym- 
pathy as  well  as  numbers  and  wealth,  it  might 
face  very  hopefully  the  great  problems  of  modern 


92  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

social  life.  Unity,  however,  does  not  mean  uni- 
formity; indeed  human  nature  being  what  it  is, 
we  may  safely  say  that  uniformity  never  has  been 
attained  and  never  will  be,  because  it  never  ought 
to  be.  In  the  early  Church  men  did  not  think 
and  believe  alike  on  every  question  any  more 
than  they  do  now.  The  tendencies  from  which 
various  sects  and  parties  now  spring  were  then  in 
existence.  But  there  was  a  mighty  enthusiasm 
which  inspired  a  strong  feeling  of  brotherhood; 
and  there  was  fierce  persecution  which  forced  the 
soldiers  of  the  cross  to  stand  close  together.  We 
would  gladly  have  the  enthusiasm  without  the 
persecution,  but  fervour  of  feeling  is  harder  to 
maintain  in  the  face  of  subtle  scepticism  and 
fashionable  worldliness  than  in  the  presence  of 
violent  opposition. 

Active  co-operation  there  must  be  in  the  cause 
of  truth  and  righteousness,  "striving  together  for 
the  faith  of  the  Gospel."  This  is  not  so  much 
formulating  the  creed  for  a  defence  against  erro- 
neous opinion  as  manifesting  the  faith  in  its  saving 
force,  a  force  that  appeals  to  a  man's  whole  nature, 
illuminating  the  mind  as  well  as  quickening  the 
heart.  If  we  turn  the  church  into  a  luxurious 
club  or  a  restless  debating  society  it  becomes 
spiritually  impotent.  Real  intellectual  problems 
must  be  faced  courageously,  when  they  do  arise, 
but  one  of  the  best  defences  against  a  shallow 
scepticism  is  found  in  practical  service.  The  best 
apology  for  the  faith  that  the  Gospel  inspires, 
and  the  way  of  life  that  it  demands  is  to  live  that 
life  in  an  energetic,  consistent  fashion.     The  true 


A  TIMELY  EXHORTATION  93 

life  of  an  individual  is  a  light  which  shows  to  the 
perplexed  the  path  of  peace  and  progress.  The 
harmonious  life  of  a  living  society,  moving  in  the 
same  spiritual  atmosphere  and  manifesting  in 
varied  forms  the  same  convictions,  is  a  testimony 
that  the  world  cannot  ignore. 

THE    TRIUMPHANT    TONE 

The  great  general  cheers  his  soldiers  in  the  face 
of  the  greatest  difficulties;  when  the  outlook  is 
darkest  he  makes  them  feel  that  they  have  a  noble 
cause  and  a  capable  leader;  listening  to  his  in- 
spiring confident  words,  they  are  ready  for  all 
that  men  may  do  or  dare.  In  a  similar  spirit 
Paul  fronts  the  world,  and  calls  upon  his  comrades 
to  be  of  good  cheer.  The  great  battles  are  fought 
not  by  the  sword  but  by  the  spirit  that  moves  behind 
the  sword.  Convictions  and  sentiments  win  the 
splendid  victories.  These  men  were  called  to  face 
and  conquer  the  world  by  the  power  of  God-given 
truth;  and  although  the  truth  had  not  yet  been 
wrought  into  a  system  of  theology  or  polished  into 
a  creed,  the  vision  of  it  led  men  on  to  victory. 
If  men  go  out  into  the  arena  with  empty  heart 
and  empty  hands  they  will  fall  victims  to  fussy 
activity  or  cowardly  fear,  but  when  nerved  by  the 
living  faith  inspired  by  the  Son  of  God,  they  are 
not  easily  affrighted.  They  are  not  disheartened 
either  by  boisterous  opposition  or  malicious  per- 
secution. Their  enemies  fight  against  them  in 
vain  when  God  is  on  their  side.  They  are  not 
perfect,  they  have  not  yet  fully  grasped  the 
meaning  of  their  own  faith,  they  have  not  con- 


94  THE  PHILIPPLAN  GOSPEL 

quered  all  their  weakness,  but  there  is  a  principle 
of  life  in  them  that  the  world  cannot  subdue. 
Such,  in  triumphant  tone,  is  the  view  which  the 
apostle  presents  for  their  cheer  and  comfort. 
This  faith  was  amply  justified,  this  prophetic 
insight  anticipated  the  course  of  history.  Neither 
by  brutal  violence  nor  subtle  allurements  could 
the  pagan  world  conquer  the  mysterious  power 
of  the  cross.  Those  who  sought  to  crush  the  new 
faith  by  coarse  ridicule  or  by  bitter  persecution 
only  proved  the  weakness  of  their  cause  and  the 
wastefulness  of  their  efforts.  The  wild  blustering 
forces  of  the  world  proved  to  be  weak  and  vain. 
Surely  in  such  a  time  the  Church  was  in  danger! 
No,  the  church  was  in  less  danger  then,  than  in 
later  days,  when  the  world  was  conquered,  and 
the  conflict,  though  less  brutal,  became  more 
subtle  and  severe.  The  roar  of  the  angry  mob 
and  sword  of  persecution,  are  not  the  greatest 
enemies  of  a  righteous  cause.  Paul  looks  them 
calmly  in  the  face  and  says  such  opposition  is  "for 
them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  of  your 
salvation,  and  that  from  God." 

THE    GIFT    OF    SUFFERING 

This  brings  us  to  a  strange  view  of  suffering, 
which  regards  it  as  a  God-given  privilege;  "be- 
cause to  you  it  hath  been  granted  in  the  behalf 
of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on  Him  but  also  to 
suffer  in  His  behalf."  This  suffering  with  and 
for  Christ  is  a  gracious  gift  of  God  through  which 
salvation  reaches  its  completion,  even  as  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  was  made  perfect  through 


A  TIMELY  EXHORTATION  95 

suffering.  To  believe,  in  any  real  sense,  is  a 
gracious  endowment,  but  faith,  when  it  has  the 
power  to  accept  the  shame  of  suffering  and  turn 
it  into  strength  and  glory,  reaches  a  higher  stage. 
To  believe  in  Christ  is  an  absolute  need;  to  suffer 
for  Him  is  an  honour.  We  are  not  called  to  seek 
or  make  the  suffering;  it  will  be  sent,  "granted" 
when  we  are  fit  for  it,  and  can  use  it  rightly.  It 
will  come  to  us  in  the  appropriate  way,  if  with 
full  faith  we  choose  the  service  of  the  King. 

Is  there  diadem,  as  monarch, 

That  His  brow  adorns? 
"Yea,  a  crown,  in  very  surety, 

But  of  thorns." 

It  is  said  that  men  envied  Simon  the  Cyrenian 
who  had  literally  the  privilege  of  sharing  the  cross 
of  Jesus.  It  was  foolish  envy.  To  each  one, 
such  cross  as  he  can  nobly  carry  will  be  appointed 
and  apportioned.  In  plain  prosaic  forms  or  in 
striking  dramatic  situations  the  cross  will  stand 
revealed  to  those  who  have  walked  in  the  light  of 
His  life. 

Since  such  suffering  is  a  high  form  of  fellowship 
with  Christ  it  must  be  borne  in  the  spirit  of  pa- 
tience and  hope  that  he  manifested  (1  Peter  II, 
22.)  This  discipline  links  us  to  all  the  saints  and 
martyrs  who  have  gone  before.  As  we  have  said, 
Paul  did  not  claim  to  be  a  brilliant  exception; 
he  distinctly  stated  that  the  Philippian  converts 
had  to  endure  "the  same  conflict."  And  in  the 
hour  of  conflict,  no  doubt,  they  drew  sweet  con- 
solation from  the  thought  that  the  sorrowful  way 
was  a  well-trodden  path,  that  all  those  whom  they 


96  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

loved  and  reverenced  had  travelled  the  same  path 
of  duty.  There  is  no  need,  then,  to  go  out  of  our 
way  in  search  for  pain,  but  if  it  should  come  in  the 
form  of  disappointment,  misinterpretation  or  per- 
secution, it  will  take  the  sting  out  of  it,  to  accept 
it  as  a  higher  form  of  service,  a  special  gift  from 
the  hand  of  the  eternal  Father  who  knows  the 
need  and  the  capability  of  each  soul. 


THE   MIND   THAT  WAS   IN   CHRIST 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  MIND  THAT  WAS  IN  CHRIST 

(II,  i-5) 

Though  we  have  here  a  flood  of  tender  senti- 
ment we  cannot  regard  the  writer  as  a  weak 
emotional  man,  or  a  preacher  given  to  the  utter- 
ance of  shallow  raptures.  Paul  is  too  well  known 
for  us  to  make  that  mistake;  we  have  felt  the 
force  of  his  mighty  arguments  and  passionate 
appeals,  we  know  that  he  is  strong-minded  and 
that  he  despises  empty  cant.  It  is  quite  safe  to 
stake  his  intellectual  reputation  upon  these  letters 
which  have  lived  for  almost  nineteen  centuries, 
and  which  seem  to  be  just  coming  into  their  full 
heritage  of  power.  There  is  constant  danger  from 
the  "falsehood  of  extremes."  The  man  who  is 
emotional  in  temperament  and  who  loves  religious 
excitement  is  in  danger  of  cultivating  that  side 
of  his  nature  to  the  neglect  of  clear  earnest 
thought.  The  man  who  delights  in  intellectual 
activity  and  demands  a  logical  presentation  of 
truth  may  just  as  easily  undervalue  emotion. 
But  the  full  view  of  truth  is  not  given  to  either 
side  of  our  nature,  but  to  the  complete  and  har- 
monious working  of  all  our  powers.  Paul's  great 
strength  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  his  varied  powers 
are  so  well  balanced.     Such  a  strong  thinker  and 

99 


ioo  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

active  worker  may  safely  yield  to  tender  senti- 
ment without  danger  of  unreality.  He  had  no 
tears  for  fancied  evils,  but  he  was  often  moved  to 
deep  sorrow  by  the  sight  of  sin  and  wretchedness. 

"If"  is  a  small  word  but  it  has  been  well  said 
there  is  much  virtue  in  it,  it  can  suggest  doubt, 
insinuate  suspicion,  contrive  excuse.  It  may 
even  make  a  strong  assertion,  here  it  tells  us  that 
comfort  in  Christ,  consolation  of  love,  fellowship 
of  the  spirit,  tender  mercies  and  compassion  are 
of  the  essence  of  the  Christian  religion.  The  form 
of  the  statement  throws  us  not  upon  the  authority 
of  the  teacher  but  upon  the  reality  of  our  own 
experience.  The  apostle  is  not  a  cynic  who 
doubts  the  reality  of  love  and  sympathy.  His 
own  disciples  knew  how  splendidly  he  had  set  forth 
the  sympathy  of  Jesus,  how  nobly  he  had  lived  it, 
and  how  wonderfully  the  same  spirit  had  been 
kindled  in  them.  Hence  they  are  exhorted  by  all 
that  is  most  real  in  their  own  lives  to  seek  peace 
and  mutual  happiness. 

Paul's  arguments  have  always  a  practical  appli- 
cation; in  his  writings,  "therefore"  is  not  the  close 
of  a  theoretical  demonstration;  it  turns  the  par- 
ticular train  of  thought  in  the  direction  of  present 
duty.  The  glory  of  the  Cross,  the  power  of  the 
preacher's  own  faith,  the  responsive  experience  of 
believing  men  all  strengthen  the  call  to  mutual 
love  and  loyalty.  In  this  way  the  problem  is 
faced  which  is  always  present  in  some  form, 
namely,  how  to  reconcile  the  conflicting  claims  of 
the  undivided  soul  and  of  the  society  into  which 
our  common  faith  leads  us.     Paul's  teaching  laid 


THE  MIND  OF  CHRIST  101 

great  stress  on  personal  thought  and  individual 
life,  and  such  teaching,  essential  as  it  is  to  the 
highest  forms  of  life,  has  its  dangers,  especially, 
when  under  the  influence  of  great  enthusiasm  it 
leads  men  to  break  away  from  the  trammels  of 
tradition.  Some  have  exalted  the  individual  life 
in  such  a  way  as  to  destroy  the  unity  of  the 
Church  and  prove  its  infinite  divisibility.  While 
rejoicing  in  the  name  of  "brother"  they  have  lost 
hold  of  the  brotherhood.  The  other  extreme  is 
not  more  satisfactory,  there  is  loss  all  round  when 
the  individual  is  crushed  by  the  community.  In 
the  older  times  men  thought  more  of  the  Church 
and  the  State  than  of  the  individual  soul.  A 
man  was  regarded  not  as  a  soul  to  be  saved  but 
as  a  member  of  society  to  be  drilled  and  discip- 
lined. Amos  and  Isaiah  quickened  the  life  of 
their  time  by  making  clear  the  great  truth  that  God 
speaks  directly  to  the  spirit  of  the  believing  man. 
In  the  teaching  of  Paul  the  same  truth  appears  in 
bold  yet  reverent  forms.  But  the  man  who  lays 
such  stress  on  individual  conscience  will  also 
emphasize  the  need  of  harmonious  co-operation, 
and  the  beauty  of  social  service. 

A  lonely  life  may  be  simpler,  but  it  is  also 
poorer;  the  problem  of  living  is  shirked,  not  solved. 
To  submit  to  a  dictator  may  save  thought  but  it 
is  a  lower  form  of  life.  Paul  does  not  desire  either 
a  despotism  or  a  state  of  anarchy  but  a  living 
society  in  which  we  are  really  "members  one  of 
another."  It  is  not  possible  for  the  Christian 
Church  to  be  always  and  everywhere  the  same  in 
all  the  details  of  its  life,  but  we  may  hold  fast  to 


102  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

the  central  truth  and  cherish  the  one  essential 
spirit  of  Christian  love.  This  passage  suggests  how 
men  may  live  together  on  the  basis  of  a  common 
faith,  being  true  to  themselves  and  kind  to  each 
other.  It  rejects  the  cynical  creed  that  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  love  or  pity,  that  every  man  has 
his  price  and  that  the  highest  success  is  simply 
the  victory  of  the  meanest  and  strongest.  It  is 
still  true  that  "man's  inhumanity  to  man  makes 
countless  thousands  mourn,"  but  it  is  also  true  that 
wherever  Jesus  Christ  is  intelligently  and  lovingly 
worshipped  the  life  of  man  is  softened  and  bright- 
ened. Those  who  in  Christian  lands  crush  and 
oppress  their  fellow  men  are  more  to  be  condemned 
than  the  ancient  pagans,  because  they  are  deaf  to 
the  loving  appeal  that  comes  from  the  Cross. 
Because  the  Church  is  a  company  of  men  and 
women  who  are  struggling  and  growing,  there 
must  be  in  it  this  atmosphere  of  pity  and  helpful- 
ness. If  all  were  pure  and  wise  and  strong,  forbear- 
ance and  kindness  would  not  be  so  often  called 
for;  as  things  are,  this  spirit  of  Christ  meets  our 
deepest  need.  Hence  Paul  can  make  the  powerful 
appeal:  "for  Christ's  sake  and  my  sake  be  ye  kind 
one  towards  another." 

Out  of  such  love  real  unity  of  life  springs  and 
this  is  quite  consistent  with  healthful  variety  of 
thought  and  conduct.  The  unity  of  home  life  is 
not  simply  living  in  the  same  house  and  bearing 
the  same  name;  it  means  having  the  same  interests, 
cherishing  the  same  aims  and  hopes.  The  unity 
of  the  Church  is  not  uniformity  of  worship  or 
absolute  sameness  of  creed,  but  rather  the  inspira- 


THE  MIND  OF  CHRIST  103 

tion  of  love,  a  threefold  love  towards  the  Redeemer, 
the  fellow-disciples  and  those  who  are  still  in 
darkness.  Such  love  leads  to  that  faithful  ener- 
getic service  that  is  the  best  safe-guard  against 
vain  quibbling  and  useless  quarreling. 

This  is  the  only  power  that  can  conquer  self- 
conceit  and  party  spirit.  These  two  evils  create 
contention  and  cause  division,  they  spring  from 
temptations  which  beset  men  who  have  conquered 
vulgar  vices  and  are  ambitious  for  usefulness.  To 
feel  that  we  are  called  to  play  a  noble  part  and 
help  forward  a  great  work  may  beget  a  sense  of 
our  own  importance.  To  feel  that  we  have  the 
gift  for  service  and  capability  for  leadership  may 
lead  us  to  encourage  faction.  These  feelings  may 
be  God-given  and  therefore  trustworthy,  but  we 
must  lift  them  into  the  light  of  the  Cross  that  they 
may  be  purified  and  chastened.  Surely  Christ  is 
crucified  afresh  and  in  a  most  shameful  manner 
when  the  congregation  is  split  into  parties  and 
the  strength  given  for  service  is  wasted  in  strife. 

Our  Lord  did  not  please  Himself,  and  if  we 
are  really  to  follow  Him  we  must  learn  to  look 
with  kindly  interest  on  the  things  of  others.  We 
must  not  be  locked  up  in  a  little  world  of  our  own 
things.  If  we  grasp  all  for  self,  we  who  have  the 
Crown  in  sight  may  lose  all.  Paul,  because  he 
entered  so  fully  into  the  lives  of  others,  stands 
before  us  as  a  man  who  is  rich  in  nature,  noble  in 
spirit,  independent  in  judgment,  strong  in  char- 
acter. He  traces  all  his  power  back  to  its  original 
source  in  the  love  of  Christ.  He  who  now  reigns 
in  heaven  became  poor  that   we  might  be  rich. 


io4  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

The  love  that  was  scorned  and  defeated  is 
now  seen  to  be  victorious.  It  kindles  a  flame  of 
enthusiasm  and  self-sacrificing  loyalty  in  the  hearts 
of  faithful  followers,  and  nineteen  centuries  have 
not  exhausted  its  virtue.  He  who  was  the  Son  of 
God  and  the  Son  of  Man  shall,  by  the  spiritual 
virtue  that  streams  from  the  Cross  bring  many 
sons  to  glory. 


THE    HUMILIATION   AND    EXALTA- 
TION   OF   THE    CHRIST 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  HUMILIATION  AND  EXALTATION  OF  THE 
CHRIST 

(II,  6-1 1) 

This  is  one  of  the  noblest  passages  in  the  writings 
^  f  Paul.  It  is  interesting  and  important,  in  the 
nighest  degree,  from  the  point  of  view  of  theology, 
and  it  no  doubt  played  a  great  part  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  central  doctrine  of  the  Christian  faith 
concerning  the  nature  of  God.  This  noble  state- 
ment, however,  does  not  come  in  here  as  part  of  a 
formal  system  of  doctrine,  but  rather  to  supply 
a  mighty  motive  for  the  exhortation  which  urges 
upon  faithful  men  the  need  of  possessing  the  mind 
of  Christ.  The  earnest  appeal  for  unselfish 
thought  and  tender  sympathy  expands  naturally 
and  gracefully  into  a  sublime  description  of  the 
life  and  destiny  of  the  Christ.  It  is  Paul's  version 
of  our  Lord's  own  words.  "The  Son  of  man  came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  The  precise 
shade  of  meaning  to  be  attached  to  particular 
words  may  be  difficult  to  decide,  but  the  purpose 
of  the  passage  is  quite  clear.  Paul  is  not  so  much 
speculating  upon  the  mysteries  of  the  divine  nature 
as  dwelling  upon  the  wonderful  possibilities  of  true 
Christian  life.     To  him  Jesus  was  the  Lord  from 

107 


io8  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

heaven  "who,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes 
became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might 
become  rich. ' '  But  it  seems  quite  fair  to  say  that  the 
character  rather  than  the  nature  of  Christ  is  the 
thought  that  is  now  uppermost  in  the  mind  of  the 
apostle.  The  divine  life  comes  down  to  earth, 
appears  in  lowly  human  form,  passes  through 
defeat  to  victory,  that  is,  through  sorrowful  service 
to  triumphant  blessedness.  Faith  in  and  com- 
munion with  this  life  is  the  source  of  our  inspira- 
tion and  the  secret  of  our  strength.  The  very 
purpose  of  its  manifestation  was  that  it  might 
become  an  ever  present  reality  in  the  lives  of  men, 
who  steadily  face  the  facts  and  patiently  bear  the 
burdens  of  life.  The  life  of  the  Christ  has,  on  this 
view,  a  threefold  aspect;  it  is  a  revelation  of  the 
inner  nature  and  real  character  of  God,  the  means 
of  our  redemption,  the  example  and  inspiration 
of 'our  life.  We  cannot  fathom  all  the  mysterious 
meaning  of  this  great  truth  but  it  is  needful  to 
meditate  on  such  high  themes  if  we  would  "grow 
in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  To  understand  what  Jesus  has  done  for 
us,  we  must  have  some  worthy  conception  of  what 
He  is  in  Himself  and  of  the  spirit  that  finds  the 
highest  expression  in  His  life. 

The  humiliation  of  the  Christ  was  voluntary,  a 
spontaneous  act  of  love  revealing  the  deepest  prin- 
ciple of  the  life  of  God.  He  who  possessed  the 
highest  rank  did  not  regard  it  as  a  prize  to  be 
kept  for  personal  enjoyment  but  rather  as  a  power 
for  service.  In  earlier  days  men  had  thought  of 
God  as  possessing  kingly  majesty  and  even  fatherly 


HUMILIATION  AND  EXALTATION    109 

pity,  but  now  self-sacrificing  love  is  seen  to  be 
divine.  "Jesus  knowing  that  the  Father  had 
given  all  things  into  his  hands,  and  that  he  had 
come  forth  from  God,  and  goeth  unto  God,  riseth 
from  supper,  and  layeth  aside  his  garments;  and 
he  took  a  towel  and  girded  himself.  Then  he 
poureth  water  into  a  basin,  and  began  to  wash  the 
disciples'  feet,  and  to  wipe  them  with  the  towel 
wherewith  he  was  girded"  (John  XIII,  3-5). 
The  union  of  the  highest  life  with  lowliest  service 
was  the  fact  which  impressed  the  intelligent 
disciple  creating  reverent  worship  and  enthusiastic 
loyalty.  He  who  existed  in  the  eternal  world  in 
a  state  of  equality  with  God,  did  not  cling  tena- 
ciously to  that  condition  of  being,  but  voluntarily 
laid  it  aside  to  assume  the  form  of  a  bondservant, 
and  in  the  likeness  of  man  to  pursue  the  path  of 
obedience,  even  when  it  led  to  the  shameful  death 
of  the  cross.  This  was  to  Paul  a  living  creed  and 
for  his  hearers  it  brought  new  meaning  and  hope 
unto  life.  By  the  touch  of  this  truth  sorrow, 
slavery,  and  shame  lost  their  bitter  sting.  It  was 
felt  that  God  was  no  longer  afar  off.  He  had 
entered  into  the  very  heart  of  human  life.  The 
Lord  of  life  and  glory  had  appeared  among  men 
as  a  servant.  Service  thus  becomes  glorious,  and 
manhood  is  recognised  as  the  appropriate  means 
for  the  manifestation  of  divine  life.  This  life 
Paul  had  received  through  faith  as  a  quickening 
power,  and  his  sympathetic  eye  could  see  it  work- 
ing to  create  a  new  society,  a  noble  church  in 
which  communion  with  God  and  fellowship  with 
man    was    to    find    its    highest    expression.     To 


A 


no  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

fathom  the  depths  of  the  divine  nature  is  impossible, 
to  explain  fully  the  theology  that  lies  behind  this 
great  passage  is  a  difficult  and  delicate  matter; 
but  it  is  of  the  very  essence  of  faith  to  grasp  the 
fact  that  the  life  of  God  has  come  forth  from 
heaven  to  show  us  the  meaning  of  our  own  struggle 
and  to  give  us  power  for  the  conquest  of  sin. 
Because  Jesus  was  divine  He  was  the  highest  type 
of  manhood,  and  hence  in  His  case  the  struggle  of 
life  assumes  its  severest  form.  He  seemed  to  be 
simply  as  other  men;  the  very  perfection  of  His 
manhood  veiled  most  effectively  His  divinity  from 
the  common  gaze.  The  story  of  His  life  seems  to 
be  an  ordinary  chapter  in  the  record  of  the  long 
conflict  between  light  and  darkness.  We  note  the 
patient  labour,  the  fearless  testimony;  the  wonder- 
ful teaching;  and  then  we  see  the  world's  reward 
for  all  this,  suspicion  growing  into  malice,  bigoted 
opposition  persistently  crying  "Crucify  him." 
Have  we  not  seen  all  this  before,  is  it  not  the 
world's  common  way  with  uncommon  men  ?  Alas ! 
this  story  of  the  suffering  servant  is  in  one  sense 
too  common,  often  has  it  made  us  feel  the  con- 
fusion of  life  and  doubt  the  reality  of  God's  care. 
If,  however,  we  see  the  true  meaning  of  this 
shameful  cross  instead  of  deepening  our  despair,  it 
will  beget  in  us  a  nobler  hope.  In  it  we  see  the 
willing  obedience  of  the  Son  of  God  to  the  highest 
law  of  life.  He  has  emptied  Himself  to  prove  to 
an  unbelieving  world  the  power  of  real  human 
goodness. 

Out  of  this  deep  humiliation  He  rises  to  sublime 
glory  and  wields  the  noblest  spiritual  influence. 


HUMILIATION  AND  EXALTATION    in 

"He  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  Him  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  God."  But  the  glory  is  not  for  •  . 
Himself  any  more  than  the  suffering.  He  is  the  I 
first-born  of  a  new  creation  and  shall  bring  many 
sons  to  glory.  He  has  linked  His  destiny  with 
ours,  and  our  faith  claims  fellowship  with  Him 
through  all  the  spheres. 

There  is  given  to  Him  a  great  name,  a  name 
that  corresponds  to  His  nature,  and  gathers  round 
itself  all  sweet,  sacred  associations  human  and 
divine.  The  lowly  name  Jesus  shall  become  the 
symbol  of  noblest  power,  of  forgiveness  and  friend- 
liness, of  sympathy  and  service,  of  purity  and 
strength.  This  is  a  name  to  inspire  and  unite  men  /  " 
in  deepest  fellowship.  When  it  is  intelligently  and 
lovingly  exalted  small  differences  drop  into  their 
rightful  place  and  the  essential  aspects  of  truth 
receive  due  emphasis,  when  men  gather  in  devout 
homage  round  His  cross,  harsh  controversies  are 
stilled  and  hard  barriers  fall  away. 

To  Him  there  shall  be  given  an  everlasting 
universal  worship.  In  heaven  and  on  earth  the 
true  glory  of  His  life  shall  be  recognised.  Even  /  , 
this  is  not  for  Himself.  He  laid  down  His  life;  * 
that  He  might  take  it  again,  and  as  He  receives 
it  back  in  the  devout  homage  of  loyal  souls,  it 
becomes  the  means  of  uplifting  those  souls  from 
the  dust  of  earth  into  the  pure  air  of  heaven. 
The  worship  of  the  true  God,  the  God  of  nature 
and  history,  here  assumes  its  most  tender  helpful 
form.  We  see  that  goodness  is  crowned  and  mercy 
vindicated.     He  who  gave  Himself  completely  for 


ii2  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

the  service  of  His  brethren  has  found  the  only 
glory  that  is  worth  possessing  and  He  stands  the 
fiery  ordeal  of  death  and  judgment.  In  the  life 
of  God  that  great  word  has  its  highest  meaning, 
"He  that  loseth  His  life  shall  find  it."  Paul's 
great  thought  is  that  Jesus  who  pleased  not  Him- 
self, has  found  His  life  in  realms  of  glory  and  is  now 
seeking  it  again  in  the  lives  of  men  and  women  at 
Philippi  who  are  called  to  look  not  simply  at  their 
own  needs  and  cares  but  each  one  on  the  things 
of  others,  so  as  to  find  personal  salvation  through 
social  service. 


THE    IDEAL   AND   THE    ENERGY   OF 
THE    CHRISTIAN    LIFE 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  IDEAL  AND  THE  ENERGY  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  LIFE 

(II  is,  13) 

TRUTH    AND    LIFE 

Having  shown  that  the  life  of  the  Christ,  in 
time  and  eternity,  is  a  manifestation  of  the  self- 
sacrifice  of  God  for  the  redemption  of  men  and 
having  declared  that,   in   all  realms  of  life,  the 
divinity  of  this  sacrifice  shall  be  acknowledged  and 
adored,  Paul  in  his  usual  manner  brings  the  most 
magnificent  passage  in  this  letter  to  bear  upon 
the  present  life  of  the  Christian  community.     It 
is  at  such  points  that  we  see  clearly  the  fact  that 
the  apostle  is  writing  more  as  a  preacher  than  as 
a  theologian.     As  Jesus  stooped  from  the  highest 
place  to  be  the  servant  of  all,  so  Christian  truth 
must  come  from  its  loftiest  heights  to  minister 
to  the  lowly  life.     Paul  was  a  keen  thinker,  and 
as  competent  as  most  men  to  investigate  the  truth 
in  its  varied  relations.     Let  us  be  thankful  for 
men    who,  in  a  reverent  spirit,  grapple  with  the 
hardest  questions,  but  let  us  also  be  thankful  that 
we  can  nourish  our  souls  on  the  great  truths  that 
cluster  around  the  life  of  Christ  without  waiting 
for   the    full    and    final  settlement  of  such  ques- 
tions.    Paul  did  not  lack  interest  in  the  intellectual 


"5 


n6  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

side  of  the  truth,  but  as  the  preacher  of  a  new 
faith,  his  chief  concern  was  to  win  loyal  and  con- 
sistent converts.  The  living  in  union  with  the 
Christ  is  valued  more  than  the  correct  theory  con- 
cerning the  person  of  Christ.  His  love  for  the 
Christ  and  his  care  for  the  converts  move  toward 
the  same  end,  the  building  up  of  a  community,  in 
which  men  shall  enjoy  in  their  own  hearts,  and 
manifest  toward  each  other,  this  new  sense  of 
strength  and  fellowship.  "Beloved"  expresses  real 
affection  satisfaction  and  hope;  it  shows  the 
teacher's  yearning  sympathy  over  men  whom  he 
expects  to  "live  as  sons  of  God  in  the  midst  of  a 
crooked  and  perverse  generation." 

THE    TACT    OF    A    TRUE    TEACHER 

When  we  have  made  all  allowance  for  expansive- 
ness  and  richness  of  expression,  we  recognise  in 
Paul's  commendations  the  sympathetic  tact  of  a 
man  who  possessed  in  the  highest  degree  the 
teaching  gift.  Even  where  he  is  compelled  to 
reprove,  he  begins  by  saying  all  he  can  to  cheer 
and  encourage  men  engaged  in  a  severe  struggle. 
The  battle  of  life  is  hard  enough  without  needless 
bitterness  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  The  man 
who  loves  his  subject  and  has  a  keen  sense  of  its 
majestic  power  will  have  sympathy  with  those 
whose  vision  is  dim  and  whose  will  is  still  weak. 
In  the  case  of  the  Philippians,  Paul  had  found  a 
genuine  interest,  a  quick  responsiveness,  a  ready 
obedience  to  the  word  of  God.  This  he  acknowl- 
edges in  appealing  for  a  fuller  acceptance  and 
appropriation   of   the   truth.     The   power   of  his 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE  117 

personality  was  great,  and  his  presence  or  absence 
did  make  a  great  difference;  under  the  shelter  of 
his  presence  many  souls  found  that  faith  was  easier 
and  worship  more  joyful.  This  must  always  be 
the  case;  the  strong  man  with  clear  thought  and 
impetuous  emotion  must  have  a  powerful  legiti- 
mate influence.  But  the  man  who  cherishes  the 
true  Christian  ideal  is  anxious  to  avoid  the  danger 
of  having  men  clinging  to  him,  and  depending  on 
him,  in  a  way  that  will  hinder  their  own  life.  He 
says,  "Not  that  we  have  lordship  over  your  faith, 
but  are  helpers  of  your  joy;  for  by  faith  ye  stand." 
(Cor.  I,  24.)  That  is,  "You  stand  by  your  own 
faith,  not  by  mine."  The  very  nature  of  the 
religion  that  the  apostle  had  taught,  as  well  as 
loyalty  to  himself  as  their  friend  and  helper, 
demanded  from  these  disciples  the  attempt  to 
understand  more  fully  and  live  more  consistently 
the  great  Christian  principles.  He  would  gladly 
have  been  present  with  them  to  impart  unto  them 
some  spiritual  gift.  To  long  for  meeting  and 
fellowship  on  both  sides  was  quite  natural,  but 
when  once  men  have  received  the  vision  of  Christ 
and  an  intelligent  conception  of  the  meaning  of 
the  Christian  faith  their  growth  is  not  dependent 
upon  the  actual  presence  of  any  priest  or  preacher. 

THE    INDEPENDENCE    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    LIFE 

Since  he  has  had  proof  of  their  response  to  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  he  can  exhort  them  to 
carry  forward  the  work  begun,  that  is,  to  be  true 
to  the  inner  God-given  life,  and  work  together  in 
harmony  for  the  strengthening  of  the  Christian 


u8  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

community.  If  Paul  is  absent  God  is  present  with 
them,  working  in  and  through  them  for  His  good 
pleasure.  This  does  not  mean  that  teachers  can 
be  dispensed  with,  or  that  there  should  be  any 
unnatural  striving  after  independence  and  origi- 
nality. We  grow  to  independence  and  individ- 
uality most  effectively  by  mutual  helpfulness  in 
thought  and  conduct.  But  Paul's  eager  longing 
for  all  his  converts  was  that  they  might  grow 
towards  Christian  manhood ;  it  was  a  great  sorrow 
to  him  if  they  lingered  in  the  realm  of  childhood. 
For  a  man  to  continue  to  be  "carnal,"  to  remain 
"a  babe  in  Christ,"  was  a  severe  disappointment 
to  a  teacher  whose  whole  aim  was  to  quicken 
personal  thoughtfulness  and  individual  conscious- 
ness (Cor.,  III.).  The  high  ideal  is  possible 
because  the  divine  energy  is  working  in  the  com- 
munity and  in  each  individual  member  of  it.  To 
introduce  a  slightly  different  form  of  legalism  and 
priestly  guidance  could  not  be  any  satisfaction  to 
the  man  who  could  say  that  he  was  sent  not  to 
baptize  but  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  that  he 
desired  to  commend  himself  to  every  one's  con- 
science in  the  sight  of  God.  To  the  disciples  of 
our  Lord  it  seemed  a  hopeless  situation,  when  the 
Master  who  had  taught  them  with  such  patient 
persistence  was  taken  away  from  them;  but  they 
showed  that  they  had  not  been  with  Jesus  in  vain, 
and  that  though,  in  one  sense,  He  was  absent,  His 
divine  energy  continued  to  work,  and  to  work 
through  them.  The  privilege  and  prerogative  of 
the  individual  soul  and  of  the  Christian  com- 
munity rests  upon  this  spiritual  basis;  the  divine 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE  119 

life  is  not  confined  to  ancient  saints,  or  present 
rulers;  it  is  a  creative,  consecrated  energy  working 
in  every  faithful  soul,  and  manifested  in  every 
place  where  there  is  a  loyal  effort  to  realise  the 
communion  of  saints. 


THE  SAVING  ENERGY  IN  THE 
BELIEVER  AND  THE  CHURCH 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE  SAVING  ENERGY  IN  THE  BELIEVER  AND 
THE  CHURCH 

(1,6;  II,  12,  13) 

These  two  passages  are  generally  placed  side  by- 
side,  as  statements  which  illustrate  and  complete 
each  other.  Paul  has  confidence  that  the  Christian 
life  will  reach  its  proper  destiny,  and  attain  to  full 
maturity,  because  it  is  a  work  that  God  has  begun. 
And  he  can  call  upon  the  disciples  at  Philippi  to 
carry  out  their  salvation,  with  conscientious  care, 
because  there  is  a  divine  energy  moving  within 
their  souls,  and  throughout  the  Church.  The 
meditation  on  I,  6,  is  conceived  and  worked  out 
from  the  purely  personal  point  of  view ;  and  it  may 
be  questioned  whether  it  does  full  justice  to  Paul's 
position,  since  it  is  possible  to  maintain  that  the 
carrying  on  of  the  work  until  the  day  of  Christ 
may  include  the  keeping  alive  of  the  congregation 
until  the  appearance  of  Christ.  Further,  it  may 
be  contended  that  the  exclusive  application  of 
these  texts  to  the  inner  processes  of  individual 
sanctification  is  a  divergence  from  their  original 
meaning.  It  is  not  possible  or  suitable  to  attempt 
a  consideration  of  all  the  questions  thus  raised,  as 
it  would  require  a  treatise  on  history  and  theology 
rather  than  a  brief  practical  meditation.     But  it  is 

123 


i24  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

quite  possible,  and  altogether  appropriate,  to  show 
that  what  we  call  the  social  side  of  salvation  was 
in  some  way  included  in  the  preaching  of  the 
apostle  Paul.  If  we  are  asked  whether  it  meant 
that  God  is  at  work  "in"  the  personal  life  of  the 
disciples  or  "among"  the  individual  members  who 
constituted  that  new  society  called  "the  Church," 
the  answer  to  such  a  question  must  surely  be  that 
both  elements  are  included  and  stand  in  close 
relationship  to  each  other.  We  can  count  upon  it 
that  in  the  teaching  of  Paul  these  two  aspects  of 
truth  never  stand  far  apart.  To  him  the  solitary 
burden  and  the  social  service  are  two  sides  of  the 
same  life.  (Gal.  VI,  2.  6.)  The  epistle  in  which 
we  find  the  clearest  vindication  of  the  rights  of 
the  individual  conscience  also  contains  the  most 
beautiful  presentation  of  the  truth  that  we  are 
members  of  one  another.  (I  Cor.)  To  preserve 
these  two  sides  of  the  truth  in  proper  proportions, 
and  each  in  its  own  place,  is  important  for  right 
living  as  well  as  for  correct  thinking.  At  one  time 
the  average  Christian  was  in  danger  of  regarding 
"the  salvation  of  the  soul"  as  a  purely  personal 
matter,  its  realm  being  the  world  of  the  individual 
mind  and  heart,  and  its  aim  the  qualifications  and 
the  passport  for  a  distant  heaven.  That  view 
when  it  was  narrow  and  extreme,  was  itself  the 
result  of  a  previous  extreme  position  which  had 
sacrificed  the  inward  life  to  outward  ceremonial 
and  convention.  Now  we  are  in  danger  of  laying 
so  much  stress  on  the  social  side  of  life,  that  we 
may  forget  that  we  have  "a  soul,"  and  a  world, 
which  belongs  to  ourselves  and  our  God.     These 


SAVING  ENERGY  IN  THE  BELIEVER  125 

two  sides  of  our  life  imply  each  other;  the  deepest 
individual  experience  and  the  highest  social  com- 
munion must  minister  the  one  to  the  other.  Since 
Paul's  day  they  have  sometimes  been  rent  asunder 
and  made  the  subject  of  abrupt  contrasts  and 
violent  oppositions.  Out  of  these  artificial  contra- 
dictions fierce  conflicts  have  arisen.  We  have  now 
to  seek  a  deeper  union  and  fuller  harmony.  Not 
in  exactly  the  same  way,  but  certainly  in  the  spirit 
of  this  great  teacher  we  may  learn  to  reconcile  the 
claims  of  the  soul  and  the  demands  of  society. 

Paul  inherited  the  results  of  that  great  move- 
ment recorded  in  the  Old  Testament  which 
advanced  from  the  call  for  social  righteousness  to 
the  culture  of  a  deep  personal  life.  In  the  later 
prophets  the  problem  of  the  individual  life  became 
sharp  and  painful.  Man  is  seen  to  be  more  than 
a  member  of  a  community;  each  soul  has  a  per- 
sonal relationship  to  God.  Paul  was  ever  seeking 
to  understand  and  apply  the  teaching  of  Jesus; 
and  we  must  surely  recognise  the  fact  that  in  the 
revelation  that  comes  to  us  through  the  Son  of 
God,  the  meaning  and  worth  of  the  individual  man 
receives  new  emphasis.  Paul  tells  the  story  of  his 
own  inward  conflict  ending  in  personal  appropria- 
tion of  Christ  and  reconciliation  to  God  through 
him.  The  growth  of  the  Christian  Church  was  by 
means  of  the  conversion  of  the  individual  men  who 
might  belong  to  any  nation  or  class  of  society, 
but  who  must,  in  order  to  true,  full  membership, 
know  the  meaning  of  personal  communion  with 
Jesus  Christ.  Everything  shows  us  that  it  was  a 
time  when  religion  was  conceived  as  a  personal 


126  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

relation  between  each  soul  and  its  God.  Only  in 
the  strength  of  such  a  thought  could  Paul  have 
fought  his  great  battle  for  spirituality  and  freedom. 
We  are  not  surprised,  then,  that  as  a  result  of  the 
new  life  Paul  expects  the  growth  of  such  fine 
personal  qualities,  as  insight,  and  discrimination, 
and  knowledge  guided  by  love  (i.  9.  10.).  We 
need  not  separate  the  personal  life  from  that  of 
the  community  in  order  to  realise  that  only  as  God 
dwells  in  us,  and  inspires  us,  can  we  attain  the 
fulness  of  Christian  manhood.  In  fact  such  separa- 
tion can  never  be  complete.  The  statement  made 
recently  by  an  English  statesman  that,  formerly, 
the  work  of  religion  was  the  saving  of  the  soul,  and 
now  it  is  the  saving  of  society,  only  expresses  a 
half  truth,  or  emphasises  a  popular  aspect  of  the 
truth.  The  Reformation  which  was  a  great  battle 
for  the  right  of  private  judgment,  and  for  the 
privilege  of  personal  direct  communion  with  God, 
was  also  a  movement  that  exercised  a  tremendous 
political  and  social  influence.  The  later  evangel- 
ical revival,  with  its  intense  individualism  and 
"otherworldliness,"  gave  stimulus  to  many 
schemes  political  and  social  that  sprang  from  a 
real  desire  to  promote  human  brotherhood. 

All  that  is  quite  true,  and  yet  it  is  well  for  us  to 
remember,  that  the  very  idea  of  salvation  means 
bringing  men  into  right  relations  with  each  other, 
as  well  as  into  real  communion  with  God.  One 
result  involves  the  other;  the  faith  that  links  us 
to  our  Father  brings  us  into  living  fellowship  with 
the  brotherhood.  The  early  church  was  not  con- 
cerned  directly  with  philanthropic   and  political 


SAVING  ENERGY  IN  THE  BELIEVER  127 

schemes  for  the  emancipation  and  uplifting  of 
men.  The  first  thing  was  to  kindle  a  life  in  the 
believer  that  was  superior  to  circumstances  and 
independent  of  class  distinctions,  and,  by  means  of 
this  common  life,  to  create  a  community  that 
was  loyal  to  Jesus  as  Lord,  witnessing  to  the  glory 
of  His  name  and  waiting  for  His  appearing. 
Within  the  church  first,  the  great  truth  .must  be 
recognised  and  illustrated,  "Ye  are  members  one  of 
another."  Paul  cared  for  the  individual  man,  not 
as  standing  alone,  but  as  a  member  of  the  com- 
munity, finding  the  meaning  of  his  life  in  receiving 
help  from  and  giving  help  to  others.  We  can 
carry  forward  our  salvation  with  confidence,  and 
yet  "with  fear  and  trembling,"  because  the  divine 
power  is  within  us,  seeking  to  express  through  us 
God's  thought  of  human  life.  The  same  power 
is  working  in  the  church  creating  through  it  a 
living  organism,  which  growing  up  into  Christ  the 
head,  and  showing  in  its  varied  life  the  divine 
operations  of  the  same  spirit,  shall  express  God's 
thought  of  social  service,  and  present  to  the  world 
a  symbol  of  the  heavenly  kingdom.  We  have  not 
arrived  at  perfection  of  personal  life,  nor  do  we 
see  this  true  catholic  church.  But  what  we  do 
not  see  we  hope  for,  and  because  God,  who  works 
in  us  and  among  us,  is  greater  than  all  creeds  and 
institutions,  we  know  that  patient  faith  will  at 
last  find  its  full  reward. 


THE   CHRISTIAN    LIFE   AND   THE 
CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN 
MINISTRY 

(II,  14-18) 

Paul  blends  with  his  most  earnest  exhortations 
interesting  references  to  his  own  experience;  in 
calling  men  afresh  to  principle  and  duty,  he  shows 
that  he  is  one  with  them  in  mind  and  heart. 

In  the  words  "work  out  your  own  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in 
you  both  to  will  and  to  work,  for  His  good  pleasure," 
he  has  summed  up  the  deepest  truth  concerning 
Christian  experience  on  its  two  sides  of  divine 
quickening  and  human  loyalty.  He  now  turns 
from  the  solitary  mystic  experience  to  the  life  of 
social  fellowship.  Social  life  even  within  the 
Church,  has  its  difficulties  and  dangers.  It  may 
be  easy  to  have  a  cloistered  peace  by  living  a 
strictly  separate  life,  but  that  is  not  the  highest 
kind  of  peace.  It  may  be  easy  for  a  man  with  a 
fine  well-trained  voice  to  sing  a  solo,  but  it  is 
better  for  him  at  times  to  blend  his  clear,  strong 
voice  in  the  anthem  or  chorus. 

There  is  some  truth  in  the  statement  that  only 
the  man  of  faith  is  fit  to  see  inside  the  Church; 
the  cynic  if  he  meets  any  "murmurings  and  dis- 
putings"  will  at  once  cry  out  that  all  is  smallness 

131 


132  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

and  bitterness.  The  large-heartedness  of  Paul  is 
manifest  in  this,  that  he  can  see  the  promise  of 
great  power  and  perfection  in  the  midst  of  much 
weakness  and  meanness.  Paul  desired  in  the  life  of 
the  Church  variety  and  vigour  as  well  as  purity  and 
peace.  He  was  not  prepared  to  be  content  with 
a  cold  uniformity;  he  would  have  every  man  per- 
suaded in  his  own  mind,  yet  every  man  respect- 
ful towards  the  minds  of  others.  Along  that  line 
they  would  find  both  progress  and  harmony,  living 
as  the  sons  of  God  without  rebuke  in  the  midst  of 
a  crooked  and  perverse  generation. 

I.      CHRISTIAN     DISCIPLESHIP;      ITS     NATURE, 
PRIVILEGES   AND   DUTY 

In  outward  appearance  there  might  seem  to  be 
little  difference  between  these  men  and  the  great 
mass  of  people  by  whom  they  were  surrounded. 
They  had  recently  been  drawn  from  the  supersti- 
tion and  sensuality  of  the  pagan  world.  They  were 
not  trained  theologians,  they  were  not  perfect 
Christians,  but  a  new  living  principle  had  entered 
into  their  lives.  This  principle  would  produce  a 
slow  silent  revolution  and  by  its  working  justify 
the  power  of  the  Gospel. 

Hence,  though  they  are  just  beginning  the  battle 
of  life,  Paul  can  speak  of  them  as  the  "sons  of 
God"  and  "luminaries,"  and  call  them  to  answer 
the  expectation,  live  the  lives,  and  do  the  work 
suggested  by  these  high  names.  Paul  does  not 
here  discuss  the  theological  meaning  of  the  phrase 
"sons  of  God"  or  show  how  it  comes  to  be  applied 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY  133 

to  disciples  of  Jesus,  or  in  what  way  natural  capa- 
city stands  related  to  spiritual  quickening.  He 
simply  says  that  this  is  the  possibility  and  power 
that  by  God's  grace  is  in  you,  and  this  must  be  the 
ideal  of  your  life.  This  is  a  part  of  what  is  meant 
in  the  noble  exhortation,  "Work  out  your  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that 
worketh  in  you — "  to  live  as  sons  of^God  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  they  are  surrounded  by  those  who 
are  moved  by  mere  earthly  desires  and  who  walk  in 
crooked  ways.  To  live  as  sons  of  God — this  scarcely 
needs  detailed  exposition ;  each  man  must  fill  the 
phrase  with  noble  meaning  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  his  intelligence  and  love. 

A  part  of  its  meaning  is  defined  in  the  words 
"Among  whom  ye  are  seen  as  luminaries."  There 
are  three  words  for  light  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  small  candle  or  lamp.  The  gieat  light  which 
is  an  original  source  of  light.  This  our  Lord  can 
use  when  He  declares,  "I  am  the  light  of  the  world." 
Then  between  these  two  the  luminary  or  light-re- 
flecting body  of  the  text.  This  may  be  a  body 
shining  by  reflection  or  even  a  window  through 
which  the  light  finds  its  way  into  the  room.  As 
the  perfect  light  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
so  real  reflections  of  the  same  may  beam  from  the 
face  and  be  reflected  from  the  life  of  every  true 
disciple.  Because  the  Christian  has  a  word  of  life 
which  has  enlightened  him  and  lifted  him  into  lov- 
ing relationship  to  God  he  can,  by  the  very  fact  of 
his  loyalty  to  Christ,  become  a  mighty  influence 
among  men. 


S 


134  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

II.      THE  TRUE   SATISFACTION   OP   A  FAITHFUL 
MINISTER 

Paul  does  not  mean  that  this  high  inspiration 
and  true  enrichment  of  the  Christian  life  is  for  his 
own  glory.  But  he  states  clearly  that  this  is  the 
end  and  aim  of  his  ministry.  He  continues  in  his 
ministry  because  he  must  be  faithful  to  his  call  and 
loyal  to  his  Lord.  But  the  purpose  of  all  his  pray- 
erful effort  and  strenuous  toil  is  to  quicken  in  men 
the  hope  of  living  as  sons  of  God.  This  involves 
intense  strain  and  concentration.  The  runner  who 
has  put  forth  all  his  energy  in  the  race  and  falls 
short  by  a  little  space  is  disappointed.  The  man 
who  after  hard  wrestling  in  the  arena  is  flung 
down  and  sees  the  prize  given  to  another  is 
filled  with  bitter  weariness.  Thus  would  it  be  with 
Paul  if,  when  he  had  struggled  with  difficulties  and 
faced  persecution  on  behalf  of  his  disciples,  they 
allowed  jealousy  and  party  spirit  to  break  up  the 
harmony  of  their  life,  and  drive  them  from  the  God 
of  peace. 

The  apostle  is  not  complaining  or  bewailing  his 
lot;  whatever  the  result  may  be,  he  will  not  run 
away  and  seek  some  smaller,  easier  task.  When 
he  gave  himself  to  Jesus  it  was  in  full,  whole- 
hearted fashion.  Paul  often  used  the  word  "joy" 
in  such  a  way  as  to  show  that  it  is  synonymous  with 
"life,"  the  real  Christian  life.  Even  in  cross-bear- 
ing, in  sacrifice  of  self  there  is  joy.  He  is  glad  to 
pour  out  his  life  as  the  drink-offering  that  is  poured 
upon  God's  altar,  but  he  hopes  also  to  stimulate 
them  to  the  same  sacrifice  and  priestly  ministra- 
tion of  faith.     "If  I  be  poured  out  on  the  sacrifice 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY  135 

and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy  and  rejoice  with  you  /  * 
all."  These  are  not  figures  of  speech.  It  is  the  - 
altar  and  the  wine  that  are  symbols;  this  pouring 
out  of  life  is  the  great  reality,  the  true  sacrifice. 
He  does  not  compare  his  gift  to  the  supreme 
unique  sacrifice  of  Christ,  but  he  has  his  own  cross 
and  his  own  sacrifice  springing  from  that  central 
source  of  inspiration. 

This  is  the  highest  kind  of  joy,  the  satisfaction  of 
service.  Greater  than  the  success  of  a  worldly  pol- 
itician or  the  victory  of  a  brilliant  soldier  is  this 
consciousness  of  having  rendered  real  service  in 
bringing  men  nearer  to  God.  "They  that  go  forth 
weeping  and  bearing  precious  seed  shall  doubtless 
come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  their  sheaves 
with  them." 

One  noble  feature  of  this  joy  is  its  capability  of 
being  shared,  it  does  not  give  a  lonely  triumph,  or 
minister  to  a  personal  vanity  "And  in  the  same 
manner  do  ye  also  joy  and  rejoice  with  me."  The 
highest  things  are  those  which  all  true  men  can  re- 
joice in,  the  advance  of  truth,  the  enlargement  of 
life,  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom.  Without  these 
pure  strong  joys  the  minister  could  not  stand  the 
constant  strain;  without  it  the  people  could  not 
have  real  fellowship.  Such  joy  is  healthful  for  both 
minister  and  people,  it  is  heaven's  music  which 
makes  the  heart  throb  and  the  life  move  in  free 
service.  It  is  joy  in  the  truth,  joy  in  the  supreme 
sacrifice  of  Christ,  joy  in  Christian  fellowship,  and 
in  the  hope  of  an  evergrowing  life. 


THE   LIVING   GOSPEL   IN   LOWLY 
LIVES 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE  LIVING  GOSPEL  IN  LOWLY  LIVES 
(II,  19-25) 

This  is  simply  a  piece  of  news  about  Paul  and 
Timothy,  a  purely  personal  affair;  what  has  it  to  do 
with  the  Gospel,  or  with  our  present  life?     That  is 
a  plausible  comment,  but  it  rests  on  a  very  super- 
ficial view  of  the  case.     A  deeper  thought  leads  us 
to  thank  God  that  He  has  given  us  the  Revelation 
in  such  lowly  forms.     Books  are  of  immense  service 
in  recording  facts  and  preserving  great  truths  but 
a  man  is  more  than  his  book,   and  humanity  is 
greater  than  all  books.     A  man  who  cannot  write 
a  book  may  have  the  meaning  of  many  books 
struggling  in  his  own  soul.     The  truth  may  make 
for  itself  noble  written  forms,  but  it  is  ever  panting 
after  its  full  realization  in  the  lives  of  men ;  slight 
touches  are  valuable  when  they  bring  us  nearer  to 
the  man  behind  the  book.     It  is  good  for  us  to 
know  the  incidents  in  the  lives  of  these  first  preach- 
ers of  the  Gospel;  their  fears  and  failures  are  as 
important  as  their  joys  and  triumphs.     The  nat- 
ural way  in  which  these  came  before  us  increases 
their   power    and    meaning.     The    facts    are    not 
arranged  with  a  view  to  effect  or  display.     The 
apostle  does  not  deal  in  rose-coloured  statements,  he 
expresses   frankly   his  pain  and   disappointment. 
i39 


140  'JUL  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

lie  docs  not  leave  the  impression  that  he  is  always 
on  the  mountain-top,  that  he  is  i 
mood  of  exultation. 
A-,  the  Church  elaborately  organized  it 

not  possible  to  have  division  of  labour.     Paul 
bad  tO  play  many  parts  and  do  varied  work  as  evan- 
gelist and  teacher,  I u 
temporary  pastor  and  travelling  bishop     '1  he  i 

of  all  the  ehurehes  weighed  heavily  on  his  tu 

well  understand  how  he  felt  the  need  of 
freedom  from  domestic  ties  and  bus    r 

There   w<  for  his  peculiar  posi- 

tion.    But  the  y-ry  fast  of  such  entire  absorption 

meant  a  keener  sense  of   loneliness  and   a  deeper 

pain  v/hen  he  met  with  disappointments  in  his  i 
field,  the  life  of  the  Church. 

Paul,  however,  did  not  manifest  the  weakne 
wishing  to  do  all  the  work  him  .elf,  he  had  some  of 

the  qualities  of  a  j^reat  and  successful  general.  But 
the  army  had  to  be  created  before  it  COttld  be  l 

trolled.    '1  lie  workers  were  few  -'.rid  the  apostle 

had  not  suffi'  icnt  scope  for  his  skill  in  strategy  and 

his  power  to  lead.  Yet  evidence  is  riot  lacking 
that  his  rich  personal  ei  manifested  in 

way,  that  quickened  and  guided  his  fellow-work- 
ers. It  is  a  beautiful  picture  this  of  Paul  and  Tim- 
othy standing  side  by  tide  the  veteran  who  had 
fought  many  battles,  and  the  young  soldier  whose 
testing  task  lies  before  him. 

T  .vo  things  are  here  apparent  which  reveal  the 
noble  chi  ol   the  older  man.     0;  His  sym- 

pathy with  the  young  man  and  ;  in  train- 

in;;  him  for  high  service.    The  apostle  naturally 


THE  LIVING  GOSPEL  h1 

took  an  interest  is  one  who  as  a  \><>y  bad  been 
brought  into  the  Church  by  bis  ministry.  After 
seven  years'  absence  be  was  delighted  to  find  the 
youi.li  faithful  to  the  God  given  impulse  as  well  as 
to  the  teachings  oi  the  home.  Through  the  early 
stages  oi  this  young  man's  service  the  quick  hope 
lui  sympathy  of  his  spiritual  father  was  a  mighty 
force.  (2)  The  utter  freedom  from  petty  jealousy. 
Paul  hem;-,  a  really  strong  man  saw  that  then;  was 
room  and  need  in  the  church  lor  every  kind  of 
gift.    Jealousy  is  a  childish  thing  in  this  sphere,  as 

no  man  who  is  really  alive  can  have  hi:;  work  taken 

from  him  and  done  by  another  man.  Ct  is  a  re- 
proach to  the  religion  they  profess  when  people  of 
different  types  and  temperaments  cannot  work  to- 
gether. It  is  good  to  :•'■'•  Christian  woi  kers,  as  here, 
minister  to  each  othei  and  enlarge  each  other's 

usefulness. 

PAUL'S   BADNESS   AND    ITS   '  HUSH 

Paul':,  sadness  does  oot  come  from  brooding 
over  his  own  sufferings;  the  anxiety  shown  here 
concerns  the  Philippian  disciples,     n  be  could  be 

sure  that  they  were  prosperous  In  the  best  161186, 
that    they    were    firm    in    the    face    Ol    dangd    and 

joyful  in  spite  oi  difficulties,  then  be  would  taste  a 
pure  sweet  satisfa<  tion.  Many  people  are  miserable 
I,.-,  ause  they  an  o  ■  11  i  entered  Paul  in  his 
confinement  proves  that  stone  walls  do  not  make 
a  prison,  and  that  iron  bars  cannot  cage  the  soul. 
His  spirit,  defies  time  and  space  and  wanders  forth 

on  its  nn. son  ol  m<-r<  y  He  knOWS  that  all  his 
children  are  in  God's  hand,  but  that  faith  does  not 


142  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

encourage  carelessness,  it  rather  quickens  sym- 
pathy. From  his  own  pains  his  thought  turns  to 
those  whom  he  desired  to  help. 

He  complains  that  there  are  few  who  sympathize 
with  the  deep  desire  of  his  heart.  There  is  a  touch 
of  weakness  in  this,  but  surely  it  is  a  noble  form 
of  depression;  Elijah,  John  the  Baptist,  Paul,  in 
fact  all  great  workers  pass  through  this  dark  hour. 
The  world  never  seems  so  hard  and  cold  as  when 
we  are  left  alone  with  our  noblest  aims  and  most 
cherished  plans.  The  zealous  minister  and  enthu- 
siastic teacher  often  find  that  the  hardest  cross  they 
have  to  bear  is  the  inability  or  unwillingness  of 
others  to  sympathize  with  their  unselfish  purposes. 

THE    GLEAM    OF    HOPE 

Paul's  commendation  of  Timothy  shines  out  all 
the  brighter  against  this  dark  background.  Here 
was  one  who  responded  according  to  the  measure 
of  his  capacity  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him. 
Timothy  has  had  the  privilege  of  living  with  Paul. 
It  is  an  honour  and  a  help  to  abide  in  the  company 
of  a  great  man,  but  in  proportion  to  the  privilege 
is  the  responsibility.  Gehazi  the  servant  of  Elisha 
cannot  rise  to  the  opportunity,  he  goes  out 
from  his  master's  presence  a  thief  carrying  a 
curse  instead  of  a  blessing.  Judas  Iscariot  from 
a  higher  privilege  passes  to  a  more  dreadful  doom. 
The  gentle  Timothy  drew  inspiration  and  strength 
from  the  heroic  example  of  his  leader.  Now  he 
must  stand  in  that  master's  place  and  do  his  work. 
Under  such  a  strain  he  needs  sympathy  and 
thoughtful   men  will  gladly  give   it.     It   is  only 


THE  LIVING  GOSPEL  143 

shallow  people  who  will  stay  away  from  Church 
because  they  must  hear  Timothy  instead  of  Paul. 
The  wisest  and  strongest  rejoice  when  young  men 
are  raised  up  to  fill  the  places  of  departing  saints; 
they  know  that  the  thoughtful  sensitive  young 
man  will  slowly  grow  into  greater  influence. 

Paul  is  sure  that  the  young  man  can  represent 
him  better  than  the  noblest  letter,  but  yet  he  longs 
to  see  his  disciples  face  to  face  and  declare  to 
them  once  more  the  message  of  eternal  love.  He 
is  not  supremely  a  scholar  or  philosopher;  he  is 
essentially  a  preacher,  he  is  always  longing  for 
personal  relationship  and  living  contact.  In  Paul's 
letter  we  can  find  some  hint  of  his  varied  and 
wonderful  power,  but  it  was  in  actual  speech  that 
the  power  found  its  fullest  and  freest  expression. 
The  personality  of  the  man,  the  excitement 
awakened  by  living  truths,  the  atmosphere  created 
by  the  prayers  of  earnest  men,  these  things  cannot 
be  represented  in  black  and  white.  The  fellow- 
ship in  the  truth  quickens  the  holiest  enthusiasm. 
Paul  could  hardly  face  fierce  opposition.  He  had 
great  joy  in  bringing  the  truth  to  bear  against 
keen  opponents,  but  a  sweeter  joy  he  tasted  when 
he  imparted  the  loftier  truths  to  eager  sympathiz- 
ing disciples.  He  longed  for  fellowship,  and  such 
fellowship,  we  believe,  he  now  enjoys  in  a  higher 
world. 

CHANGING    CIRCUMSTANCES    AND    THE    UNCHANGING 
GOD 

With  such  a  craving  for  that  which  is  deepest 
and  best  in  human  life  a  man  can  be  strong  and 


144  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

steady  in  this  sphere  of  change  and  uncertainty. 
Three  times  in  this  short  passage  the  same  phrase 
occurs;  "the  things  concerning  you"  twice,  "the 
things  concerning  me,"  once  (English  version 
"your  state"  and  "how  it  will  go  with  me").  Paul 
like  all  of  us  has  to  do  with  circumstances,  the 
things  that  stand  round  us,  that  act  and  re-act 
upon  our  life.  To  him  the  inward  state  is  most 
important  but  he  cannot  despise  the  outward 
conditions.  He  does  not  differ  from  common  men 
in  any  magical  superiority  over  circumstances ;  the 
details  of  to-morrow  are  as  dark  to  him  as  to  any 
one  of  us,  but  behind  all  the  uncertainties  he  can 
see  the  thread  of  divine  purpose  and  feel  the  pulse 
of  redeeming  love.  Thus  natural  anxiety  is  kept 
from  passing  into  fretful  feverish  care.  The 
things  round  about  the  disciples  may  be  sickness 
and  persecution.  That  which  is  in  front  of  Paul 
may  mean  larger  freedom  or  swift  departure. 
These  things  are  uncertain  to  the  man  of  keenest 
insight.  Such  conditions  are  ever  shifting  con- 
stantly changing,  but  they  are  not  left  to  capricious 
chance  or  cold  fate.  While  this  particular  passage 
is  concerned  chiefly  with  temporal  things,  there 
throbs  behind  it  the  conviction  that  all  life's 
chances  and  changes  are  in  the  hands  of  God. 

"Peace,  perfect  peace,  our  future  all  unknown 
Jesus  we  know  and  He  is  on  the  throne." 


FELLOWSHIP   AND   SERVICE 


CHAPTER  XVI 

FELLOWSHIP  AND  SERVICE 
(II,  25-30) 
Again    we    are    reminded    that    this    epistle    is 
suffused  with  personal  feeling,  and  manifests  con- 
tinually the  thoughtfulness  and  generosity  of  the 
great  apostle.     Here  he  shows  the  kind  of  fellow- 
ship that  was  created  by  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.     The  Christian  religion  does  not  profess  to 
banish  sorrow,  or  to  make  men  insensible  to  pain, 
but  it  brings  the  sweetest  and  purest  power  of  con- 
solation that  ever  came  into  a  sorrowful  world. 
In  the  darkest  periods  of  his  life  Paul  reveals  both 
tenderness    and    hopefulness.     He    was    neither 
sheltered  from  sorrow  nor  hardened  against  it,  but 
the  "light  afflictions"  were  received  as  a  kindly 
discipline  in  the  strength  of  a  great  faith  that 
could  declare  that    "to  them  that  love  God   all 
things  work  together  for  good. ' ' 

As  prisoner  at  Rome,  he  had  heavy  burdens  of 
pain  and  loneliness.  But  those  among  whom  he 
had  toiled  and  suffered  cherished  the  memory  of 
his  service.  Real  gratitude  seeks  suitable  expres- 
sion. Hence  the  Philippians  sent  to  Rome  a  faith- 
ful brother  with  messages  of  good  will  and  sub- 
stantial tokens  of  their  love.  They  would  gladly 
have  ministered  to  Paul's  needs  had  he  been  with 

147 


148  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

them,  and  they  are  determined  to  show  that  with 
them  it  is  not  a  case  of  "out  of  sight,  out  of  mind." 
With  all  his  desire  for  independence,  it  was  not 
possible  for  him  to  refuse  the  gifts  that  came  in  an 
hour  of  need  and  brought  sunshine  into  his  life.* 
There  was  a  timeliness  and  delicacy  about  this 
attention  from  distant  disciples;  to  have  rejected 
it  coldly  would  have  been  to  stifle  the  noblest 
spirit  of  self-sacrifice.  The  gift  was  not  asked  or 
expected;  it  was  a  spontaneous  outburst  of  gen- 
erosity, a  matter  of  pure  Christian  sentiment  free 
from  all  cold  calculation.  He  regarded  such  giving 
as  a  form  of  Christian  fellowship,  the  energy  poured 
into  their  life  returning  to  him  in  friendly  forms. 

In  those  days  the  journey  from  Philippi  to  Rome 
might  be  both  dangerous  and  difficult;  and  the 
man  who  undertook  this  commission  needed 
energy  and  wisdom  as  well  as  earnestness.  Of 
Epaphroditus  we  know  little,  and  that  little  con- 
cerned his  character  and  work  rather  than  his 
circumstances.  He  may  be  the  "servant  of  Jesus 
Christ"  mentioned  in  the  epistle  to  the  Colossians 
under  the  name  of  Epaphros,  but  that  is  not  cer- 
tain. The  important  thing  here  is  that  when 
sent  to  minister  to  the  apostle,  he  himself  became 
a  sufferer  and  a  recipient  of  sympathetic  care. 
He  was  seized  with  sickness  and  brought  nigh 
unto  death,  but  in  the  mercy  of  God  his  life  was 
spared  and  Paul  was  saved  from  a  new  burden  of 
sorrow.  Strangely  are  sorrow  and  joy  mingled  in 
this  mortal  life,  the  effort  to  send  to  the  beloved 
teacher  a  cheering  light  almost  plunged  him  into 
*See  chap,  xxviii. 


FELLOWSHIP  AND  SERVICE         149 

tragic  darkness.  When  Epaphroditus  was  recov- 
ering from  his  sickness  he  naturally  felt  a  longing 
for  home,  and  he  was  afraid  lest  his  friends  having 
heard  of  his  affliction,  should  be  tormented  with 
fear  on  his  account.  Paul  shows  thoughtfulness 
in  sending  back  the  messenger  as  well  as  in  the 
noble  words  by  which  his  service  is  acknowledged. 
As  the  artist  represents  a  figure  by  a  few  cunning 
strokes,  so  Paul  in  a  few  well-chosen  words  pictures 
for  us  the  character  and  work  of  Epaphroditus. 

"Fellow-Christian."  Brother  means  here  more 
than  fellowman.  It  designates  a  disciple  belong- 
ing to  the  same  community,  and  possessing  the 
same  faith.  He  had  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  new 
brotherhood  and  was  not  ashamed  to  be  known  as 
a  follower  of  Jesus.  There  was  then  no  cant  or  con- 
ventionality about  the  word  brother,  it  had  then  a 
new  throbbing  life  behind  it,  it  gave  new  meaning 
and  larger  range  to  the  thought  of  fraternity. 

"Fellow-worker."  He  is  not  a  passive  brother, 
living  on  the  common  store,  he  is  a  worker  and 
contributes  energy  as  well  as  substance  to  the 
cause.  He  would  not  have  been  chosen  for  this 
important  commission  if  he  had  not  already 
shown  zeal  and  faithfulness  in  common  duties. 
Work  is  also  a  form  of  worship;  the  communion 
of  saints  means  co-operation  in  noble  enterprises. 

"Fellow-soldier."  There  is  fighting  as  well  as 
work  in  every  stage  of  the  church's  life.  Because 
Epaphroditus  was  willing  to  do  his  share  he  is 
classed  by  the  great  leader  as  a  fellow-soldier. 
This  man  stood  side  by  side  with  Paul  in  the  con- 
flict at  Rome  and  helped  to  fight  the  first  great 


150  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

battles  of  the  Christian  faith.  Here  is  a  noble 
career  for  our  young  men  who  are  called  to  be 
soldiers  of  Christ.  We  are  not  called  to  little 
quarrels  and  small  contentions,  but  to  fight  for 
great  principles  and  everlasting  truths.  It  is  well 
when  a  man's  service  can  be  summed  up  in  these 
three  words — brother,  worker,  soldier. 

A    LOFTY    DESCRIPTION    OF    LOWLY    SERVICE 

The  man's  service  may  seem  to  be  comparatively 
small,  but  it  is  described  in  the  loftiest  terms,  and 
this  not  from  mere  extravagance  of  speech  but 
from  the  splendid  idealism  inspired  by  Christian 
faith.  Paul  speaks  of  him  as  "apostle  and  min- 
ister." Sent  upon  a  simple  kindly  errand,  his 
service  is  dignified  as  a  form  of  aoostleship,  his 
work  being  described  in  a  word  "wrnch  sug- 
gests the  highest  Christian  dignity.  Here  is  a 
broad  view  of  apostleship  and  ministry.  These 
words — minister  and  apostle — have  a  stricter 
sense,  but  this  use  of  them  reminds  us  that  the 
highest  officialism  exists  to  create  the  broadest 
human  service.  The  deed  of  friendship  may  be 
performed  in  a  spirit  of  an  apostle ;  the  outpouring 
of  love  is  a  real  service  at  God's  altar. 

(i)  It  is  good  to  take  a  lofty  view  of  lowly  things. 
The  cynical  mood  that  belittles  everything  withers 
up  our  worship  and  spoils  our  service.  Why  should 
there  be  this  lasting  chronicle  of  this  man's  trivial 
service?     Because  it  was  not  trivial,  the  spirit  of 

fthe  Cross  was  in  it,  and  that  redeems  the  smallest 
thing  from  insignificance.  All  our  work  has  a  weak 
side  and  much  imperfection  clings  to  it,  but  it  is 


FELLOWSHIP  AND  SERVICE         151 

well  to  look  out  upon  life  in  a  large  loving  spirit. 
The  real  earnest  worker  knows  his  own  weakness, 
hence  he  is  in  danger  of  despondency,  and  a  few  of 
words  of  friendly  greeting  and  kindly  apreciation 
will  do  good  and  not  harm.  There  is  nothing  more 
miserable  than  petty  jealousy  and  needless  depre- 
ciation. Some  people  take  the  smallest  possible 
view  of  every  service.  The  friendly  message  is  to 
them  merely  a  piece  of  fussiness ;  the  Sunday  School 
teacher  is  an  amateur  who  fancies  that  he  is  doing 
something  important;  the  preacher  is  a  babbler 
talking  about  great  things  that  no  one  compre- 
hends. This  kind  of  thing  can  be  dressed  up  smartly 
and  retailed  with  an  air  of  mock  modesty,  but 
when  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  real  service  ren-< 
dered  by  men  of  insight  and  enthusiasm,  such 
cynical  folly  is  put  to  shame. 

(2)  To  unbelief  it  may  seem  presumption  to 
link  God  so  intimately  to  our  little  life,  but  faith  is 
bold  and  can  say  that  God  measures  out  sorrow  to 
His  children  and  knows  when  they  have  had 
enough.  Many  people  were  concerned  in  this 
affliction,  perhaps  a  mother  waiting  anxiously  for 
her  son,  and  certainly  the  congregation  expecting 
the  return  of  its  servant.  All  this  pressed  upon 
the  heart  of  Paul  and  increased  his  pain.  Miracle 
did  not  enter  into  the  current  of  his  common  life, 
he  had  no  magical  power  to  rob  pain  of  its  bitter- 
ness, but  he  has  the  mighty  energy  of  faith  and 
love.  He  accepted  the  sorrows  of  life  from  the 
hands  of  a  loving  God.  If  we  cannot  settle  the 
hard  problem  of  suffering,  and  reconcile  it  with  the 
power  and  wisdom  of  God,  we  may  still  believe 


/> 


152  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

that  it  is  measured  out  by  a  merciful  hand.  In 
due  time  we  shall  be  delivered  from  "overmuch 
grief"  and  find  hope  in  the  darkness. 

(3)  Paul  could  rejoice  in  the  power  of  the 
Christian  religion  to  inspire  heroic  courage.  Pru- 
dence is  good  in  its  place,  but  there  is  a  time  for 
sacred  recklessness,  for  the  boldness  which,  for  a 
high  purpose,  is  willing  to  risk  even  life.  The 
Christian  faith  has  been  handed  down  to  us  by 
men  who  hazarded  their  life.  It  was  charged 
against  the  early  disciples  that  they  were  carried 
away  by  fanatic  carelessness,  and  showed  a  fool- 
ish contempt  in  the  presence  of  death.  That  was 
a  false  charge.  They  valued  life  for  its  opportu- 
nities of  usefulness  but  would  not  pay  too  high  a 
price  for  it,  or  sacrifice  real  life  for  the  mere  sake  of 
living.  The  same  scornful  critics  have  little  to  say 
against  those  who  gamble  life  away  for  some  paltry 
prize,  or  waste  it  in  foolish  or  sinful  self-indulgence. 
The  Christian  religion,  rightly  understood,  teaches 
us  to  prize  our  common  life  and  keep  it  sweet  and 
wholesome,  but  it  also  shows  to  us  the  path  of  wise 
self-sacrifice  and  declares  that  to  lose  life  for 
Christ's  sake  is  to  find  the  fuller  life  for  which  we 
hunger.  Paul  was  stronger  through  his  boldness 
than  if  he  had  always  been  taking  care  of  himself 
in  a  small  fastidious  fashion.  Epaphroditus  was 
nobler  when  he  hazarded  his  life  in  the  service  of 
love  than  if  he  had  stayed  at  home  to  seek  the  path 
of  comfort  and  ease.  We  honour  God  and  our- 
selves by  holding  "such  in  honour."  We  owe  the 
best  we  possess  to  men  who  have  manifested  the 
self-sacrificing  spirit. 


A   GREAT   CLAIM   AND   A   GOOD 
CONFESSION 


CHAPTER   XVII 

A  GREAT  CLAIM  AND  A  GOOD  CONFESSION 
(HI,  1-8) 

"Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  This 
sentence  seems  to  suggest  that  the  letter  is  coming 
to  a  close,  and  that  may  have  been  the  intention  of 
the  writer  when  these  kindly  words  were  penned. 
Even  in  that  case,  it  would  have  been  a  noble 
epistle  full  of  lofty  truth,  and  reflecting  a  high 
type  of  Christian  life.  But  we  are  glad  that  by 
some  impulse  the  apostle  was  led  to  give  vindica- 
tion of  his  spiritual  life  and  peculiar  teaching.  In 
a  half  apologetic  tone  he  says  "to  write  the  same 
things,  to  me  is  not  troublesome,  and  for  you  it  is 
safe."  That  statement  probably  refers  not  merely 
to  the  exhortation  to  rejoice,  but  to  the  important 
teaching  which  this  chapter  contains.  Similar 
teaching  is  more  fully  developed  in  the  epistle  to 
the  Galatians,  a  letter  which  exercised  a  powerful 
influence  over  Luther,  and  gave  him  support  and 
strength  in  his  heroic  efforts  to  bring  back  the  free- 
dom and  simplicity  of  the  Gospel.  Even  now,  in 
the  battle  with  false  ritualism  and  unchristian  dog- 
matism, it  is  difficult  to  find  mightier  weapons  than 
the  words  of  Paul.  The  great  principles  of  Chris- 
tian life  will  bear  repetition.  To  recite  too  often 
the  same  words  may  mean  mental  stagnation,  but 

i55 


156  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

the  same  great  truths  can  be  presented  in  richly 
varied  forms. 

I.  THE   WARNING 

"Beware  of  dogs,  beware  of  evil-workers,  beware 
of  the  concision."  Paul  was  a  man  of  gentleness 
and  courtesy,  but  he  was  also  a  man  of  impetuous 
feeling,  and  at  times  strong  words  were  extorted 
from  him.  It  is  not  personal  hatred  or  proud 
contempt  that  lies  behind  these  words,  but  the 
desire  to  protect  his  converts.  He  is  indignant 
against  those  who  would  spoil  his  work  by  their 
perverse  attempt  to  make  proselytes.  When  we 
know  their  small  spirit,  and  mean  methods,  we 
do  not  wonder  that  he  was  forced  into  a  pas- 
sionate protest,  and  flung  forth  the  biting  words, 
"Beware  of  dogs."  The  world  was  wide,  and 
these  men  might  have  found  neglected  places  in 
which  to  preach  their  peculiar  views,  but  they 
dogged  his  steps  in  order  to  thwart  his  plans 
and  render  his  work  useless.  It  it  is  an  evil  thing 
to  entangle  feeble  disciples  in  controversy,  to  make 
a  fetish  of  sectarian  ceremony,  and  demand  that 
all  shall  bow  down  to  it.  In  such  circumstances 
even  a  broad-minded  man  may  be  driven  to  declare 
that  the  ceremony  which  once  served  a  noble  use 
is  a  merely  external  and  a  contemptible  thing. 

II.  paul's  claim 

The  Apostle  is  never  merely  negative;  here 
as  elsewhere  proceeds  at  once  to  make  a  large, 
positive  claim  in  favor  of  the  Christian  Church. 
"We  are  the  circumcision  who  worship  by 
the    Spirit    of    God,  and    glory    in   Christ   Jesus, 


A  GREAT  CLAIM  157 

and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh."  This 
is  not  simply  setting  up  the  narrowness  of  a 
new  sect  against  the  bigotry  of  Judaism.  In  a 
certain  sense  the  Christian  religion  was  the  child 
of  Judaism,  but  when  the  Jews  sought  to  crush 
the  Christian  Church  by  persecution  and  false 
teaching,  Paul  maintained  that  the  new  faith  was 
the  real  fulfilment  of  the  prophets,  and  the  true 
interpretation  of  the  law.  This  claim  could  not 
at  that  time  be  made  on  the  strength  of  any  his- 
toric greatness,  external  splendour,  or  social 
prestige.  The  new  faith  was  a  small  despised 
sect  but  its  leaders  claimed  to  be  "the  heirs  of  all 
the  ages."  Religion  is  no  longer  to  be  a  matter 
of  national  distinction  or  ceremonial  attainment. 
Christianity  does  not  create  a  new  ritualism  or 
another  caste;  it  honours  our  common  humanity 
and  glorifies  the  all-embracing  love  of  God. 

(1)  This  new  society  is  composed  of  those 
who  render  service  to  God  under  the  inspiration 
of  the  spiritual  life  which  He  imparts  through 
the  Christ,  those  "who  worship  by  the  spirit  of 
God."  The  word  rendered  "worship"  is  a  sacred 
term,  it  means  religious  service,  but  the  mention 
of  "the  Spirit"  guards  us  against  any  low,  narrow 
interpretation.  Because  the  Christians  had  no 
altar  it  seemed  to  both  Jews  and  pagans  that 
they  had  no  religious  service.  The  Christian 
religion  claims  to  have  a  nobler  ritual  and  a 
richer  service  (James  I,  27).  In  the  spirit  of 
the  ancient  prophets  the  early  disciples  sought 
to  make  "the  service  of  humanity"  a  part  of  the 
service  of  God,  and  to  find  in  acts  of  common 


158  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

goodness  the   real    signs   and   ceremonies  of   the 
taith. 

(2)  Christians  are,  further,  men  whose  supreme 
glory  is  in  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  to  them  more  than 
any  hero  or  philosopher,  poet  or  prophet.  They 
glory  in  His  life,  death,  and  teaching,  because 
through  these  there  comes  a  clearer  revelation  ot 
the  loving  purpose  which  gives  meaning  to  the 
world,  and  hope  to  human  life.  The  after  ages  have 
vindicated  this  large,  triumphant  faith;  we  can 
now  see  more  clearly  than  ever  that  the  teaching 
of  our  Lord  will  bear  the  fiercest  light,  and  that 
it  can?  adapt  itself  to  the  most  radical  changes  in 
circumstances  and  modes  of  thought. 

(3)  From  this  there  follows  the  attitude  of 
mind  that  refuses  to  place  "confidence  in  the 
flesh,"  even  though  the  temptation  to  do  so  is 
strong.  Paul  possessed  many  of  the  advantages 
which  give  rise  to  pride,  and  favour  the  forma- 
tion of  caste.  But  these  things,  which  in  them- 
selves have  their  uses,  he  stamps  with  the  dis- 
paraging word  "flesh,"  when  the  attempt  is  made 
to  count  them  as  signs  of  merit  and  means  of 
salvation.  Since  the  Church  has  become  so 
elaborately  organized  it  is  open  to  the  temptations 
that  beset  the  Judaism  of  Paul's  time;  it  may 
trust  in  its  temples,  its  antiquity,  its  standing  in 
the  civilized  world,  its  beautiful  services;  but,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  if  these  take  the  place  of  God 
and  the  soul's  own  life,  they  are  so  much  "flesh"; 
the  living  believer  who  is  reading  God's  present 
message  and  finding  new  applications  of  the  cross 
may  be  nobler  than  any  or  all  of  them. 


A  GREAT  CLAIM  159 

in.    paul's  profession 

The  apostle  illustrates  the  general  truth  by  his 
own  particular  personal  experience.  This  is  both 
interesting  and  appropriate,  as  his  life  more  than 
that  of  any  other  man  was  bound  up  with  the 
vindication  of  this  great  spiritual  principle.  He 
could  sing  the  Psalm  of  Love,  but  his  main  task 
was  to  fight  the  battle  of  faith  as  against  a  stiff  for- 
malism. (I  Cor.  XIII.)  In  his  case,  conversion  meant 
a  complete  revolution  in  his  thought  and  feeling 
concerning  the  service  of  God.  The  things  which 
he  once  regarded  as  valuable  prizes  to  be  struggled 
for  he  now  sees  to  have  been  hindrances  to  the 
higher  life.  He  has  now  a  larger  theology  and  a 
deeper  experience.  His  resistance  to  the  ritual- 
istic teachers  was  so  strong  and  persistent,  not 
merely  because  in  the  light  of  the  new  religion 
their  demands  were  foolish  and  futile,  but  because 
he  had  proved  by  experience  that  no  small,  legal 
perfection  could  meet  the  needs  of  a  hungry,  aspir- 
ing soul.  He  had  cherished  pride  of  birth,  and 
rejoiced  in  his  pure  Hebrew  blood  and  descent 
from  a  nation  of  heroes  and  saints.  He  had 
gloried  in  his  orthodoxy,  for  did  he  not  belong  to 
the  strictest  sect  within  the  true  Church?  He 
had  surrendered  himself  to  the  Law  and  sought 
to  fulfil  all  its  demands.  A  consistent  Jew  of 
pure  blood,  of  strict  life,  of  high  education  and 
great  religious  privileges,  a  servant  of  the  law  and 
a  persecutor  of  heretics,  what  more  than  this  could 
be  expected  of  any  Son  of  Abraham?  In  theory 
it  seemed  quite  satisfactory,  and  many  maintained 


160  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

that  it  was  so  in  actual  experience.  But  this  man 
has  been  in  the  presence  of  Sinai's  awful  thunders, 
and  has  passed  from  thence  to  Calvary's  gentle 
light.  The  vision  of  the  Christ  has  made  him 
see  the  depths  of  his  own  nature  and  the  height  of 
heaven's  perfection.  Now  he  says;  the  things 
that  were  for  me  the  prizes  of  life  I  cast  aside  as 
worthless  in  comparison  with  the  love  of  Christ 
that  constraineth  me.  This  is  a  good  confession 
and  it  may  still  be  made  by  the  man  of  real  thought- 
fulness  and  true  spiritual  insight.  All  questions 
of  merit  and  legalism  are  swept  away  when  once 
we  see  the  real  nature  of  that  love  which  stooped 
down  to  bear  our  burdens,  to  rob  sin  of  its  sting, 
and  shame  of  its  bitterness.  Once  Jesus  captures 
our  personal  trust  and  loyalty  we  know  Him  as 
our  Saviour,  Teacher,  and  Ideal,  and  through  the 
sight  we  gain  sweet  satisfaction  and  abiding 
strength.  The  mightiest  proof  of  the  divine 
power  of  Jesus  Christ  is  this  significant  fact,  that 
He  has  solved  the  problem  of  life  for  so  many  of 
the  world's  wisest  and  strongest  men. 


THE   CHIEF   GOOD 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  CHIEF  GOOD 

(III,  8-14) 

When  Paul  sets  before  us  the  secret  of  his  con- 
version, and  the  stimulus  of  his  constant  striving, 
he  gives  us  a  living  illustration  of  the  law  of  life 
revealed  in  the  career  of  Jesus,  and  set  before  His 
disciples  in  the  great  saying,  "Whosoever  would 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  whosoever  shall  lose 
his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."  Paul  speaks 
to  us  of  real  loss  and  real  gain.  The  process  was 
painful  but  the  result  was  satisfactory.  To  medi- 
tate upon  this  rich  statement  of  a  manifold  experi- 
ence is  full  of  profit,  precisely  because  it  shows 
the  actual  working  in  the  case  of  a  really  strong 
man,  of  that  which  is  for  all  of  us  the  essential 
principle  of  the  Christian  life.  When  he  became 
a  loser,  he  lost  a  whole  world  of  claims  and  privi- 
leges (verses  1-7),  but  he  entered  into  a  larger 
world  of  knowledge,  love,  and  activity.  The  only 
reason  for  this  tremendous  change  is  that  which 
he  himself  gives — real  conviction,  true  vision  and 
spiritual  constraint.  On  the  side  of  Christ  there 
was  then  no  pride  of  learning,  no  coercion  of 
public  opinion,  no  worldly  attractions,  no  allure- 
ments of  society.  He  may  have  been  haunted 
by   misgivings,    and   tormented   by   doubts,   but 

163 


164  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

these  could  not  have  caused  him  to  fling  aside  his 
early  convictions  unless  something  more  living 
and  authoritative  had  appealed  to  his  soul.  In 
the  critical  hour  there  is  given  to  his  soul  a  deeper 
.  sense  of  need,  and  a  vision  of  that  way  of  salvation 
[  which  led  to  satisfaction  and  strength.  When 
this  clear  conviction  comes  he  is  swift  and  decisive 
in  action.  If  he  looks  back  it  is  not  with  regret; 
the  parting  with  it  is  over,  he  can  set  it  in  a  true 
light  and  take  its  real  measurement.  He  does 
not  claim  to  reach  perfection  at  one  stroke,  but 
he  does  tell  us  that  he  has  a  clear  aim  and  steady 
purpose.  Any  man  who  has  reached  this  position 
has  made  a  great  gain  even  if  he  has  paid  a  great 
price. 

THE    CHIEF    GOOD 

Men  have  discussed  with  varied  degrees  of 
subtlety  and  wisdom  the  great  question  "What 
is  the  supreme  good  for  the  human  spirit"?  To 
that  Paul  has  a  very  definite  answer.  He  does 
not  argue  as  to  the  reasonableness  and  univer- 
sality of  his  own  view  of  life;  he  simply  sets  it 
forth  in  a  very  strong  fashion,  as  the  vision  of 
truth  which  has  given  to  his  own  life  both  rest 
and  progress,  satisfaction  and  aspiration.  Every 
man  must  solve  this  problem  for  himself,  but  as 
the  same  God  gives  us  life,  and  the  same  passions 
stir  our  souls,  the  real  experience  of  our  fellow- 
men  may  be  a  true  revelation  throwing  light  upon 
our  path.  Hear,  then,  this  living  word.  To  gain 
Christ,  to  be  found  in  Him,  to  possess  a  righteous- 
ness that  comes  through  faith  in  Him,  to  know  the 
power  of  His  resurrection  and  to  have  fellowship 


THE  CHIEF  GOOD  165 

with  His  sufferings — surely  this  is  a  lofty  aim,  a 
comprehensive  programme,  a  quickening  aspira- 
tion. The  whole  statement  is  alive,  every  sen- 
tence glowing  with  a  special  signification,  every 
line  quivering  with  energetic  meaning.  Can  we 
wonder  that  former  prizes  were  lightly  esteemed, 
and  earthly  ambitions  lost  all  power  to  attract, 
when  this  all-absorbing  vision  took  possession  of 
the  man's  head  and  heart? 

He  desires  to  hold  fast  to  Christ  as  personal 
friend  and  present  helper;  he  wishes  to  have  it 
proved  that  he  is  living  and  moving  in  the  world 
that  Christ  has  created;  he  hungers  for  the  real 
righteousness  that  comes  from  God  to  the  believ- 
ing soul,  he  longs  after  a  growing  knowledge  of 
the  power  of  Christ's  resurrection;  he  even  dares 
to  hope  that  he  may  have  communion  with  the 
sufferings  of  Christ  and  be  conformed  to  His 
death.  That  Jesus  of  Nazareth  kindled  such 
hopes  in  the  minds  of  companions  who  looked 
dimly  forward  to  the  future  is  a  great  thing,  but 
that  from  the  unseen  world,  He  still  continues  to 
capture  mighty  souls,  and  satisfy  hungry  hearts  is 
a  proof  of  a  real  and  divine  presence. 

Men  ask  for  a  short  simple  creed;  Paul  gives  itL 
to  us  in  one  word  "Christ."  That  is  short  bu^' ' 
not  simple  in  any  shallow  sense.  How  can  a 
strong  energetic  man  be  satisfied  with  anything 
simple?  Such  a  creed  may  be  simple  to  a  child, 
for  in  the  simplicity  of  a  child  there  is  something 
of  insight  and  sublimity  because  there  is  promise 
of  growth.  But  it  cannot  be  simple  to  a  lazy, 
ignorant   man;  the   way   in   which   he   boasts  of 


1 66  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

"simplicity"  shows  that  he  has  never  gained  a 
glimpse  of  its  ever-widening  significance.  Its 
very  mission  is  to  cast  out  self-conceit,  and,  break- 
ing up  stagnation,  it  stimulates  hope  and  progress. 
The  strength  and  beauty  of  it  is  in  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  personal  manifestation  of  truth. 
Philosophies  may  gather  round  it,  and  theologies 
come  out  of  it,  but  it  exerts  its  convincing,  con- 
verting power  in  its  living  personal  form.  God 
comes  near  to  Paul  in  the  lowly  crucified  Teacher, 
solving  all  problems  and  meeting  all  needs. 
Science  and  philosophy  have  a  high  place,  but 
they  do  not  claim  to  take  this  place.  They  help 
us  to  understand  God's  world,  and  to  read  his 
purpose  in  literature  and  life,  but  what  our  whole 
nature  hungers  for  is  a  revelation  of  God  Himself. 
This  revelation  is  in  its  real  power  and  deep  mean- 
ing always  the  same,  but  the  form  varies;  the 
proof  that  any  particular  man  has  gained  it,  is 
seen  in  his  power  to  conquer  self  and  serve  man, 
in  other  words,  to  be  a  companion  of  Christ.  If 
a  man  has  a  faith  that  gives  both  light  and  love, 
rest  and  stimulus,  achievement  and  progress,  the 
"chief  good"  that  draws  him  onward  is  no  vain 
fancy  but  a  real  vision  from  God. 

THE    LIVING    POWER    OF    FAITH 

This  supreme  good  is  not  a  finished  attainment, 
nor  is  it  a  future  distant  possession;  it  is  a  living 
movement,  an  actual  present  experience  whose 
outcome  shall  be  glorious  and  complete.  Christ 
has  laid  hold  of  Paul,  and  so  in  a  measura  he 


THE  CHIEF  GOOD  167 

possesses  Him,  yet  the  man  is  still  living  and 
eager  "to  win  Christ."  It  is  not  on  some  future 
judgment  day  that  Paul  wishes  to  be  found  in 
Christ,  but  now  in  the  hour  of  battle,  when  men 
watch  his  conduct,  and  the  all-searching  gaze  of 
God  lights  upon  him.  Neither  is  the  righteousness 
a  distant,  disconnected  thing,  outside  of  himself, 
but  that  which,  under  the  inspiration  of  love,  has 
already  begun  to  grow.  The  communion  with 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  he  has  already  tasted,  and 
now  he  only  longs  to  be  so  guided  that  all  his 
pains  may  have  a  sacrificial  sweetness  and  power. 
Because  he  is  in  a  real  sense  a  risen  man  he  can 
follow  Christ  even  in  his  dying.  When  we  regard 
faith  as  a  spiritual  energy,  and  life  as  a  growing 
enlarging  experience,  many  small  controversies 
pass  away. 

By  faith  a  man  learns  that  there  is  a  present 
kingdom  of  God,  a  kingdom  "not  meat  and  drink, 
but  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Spirit. ' '  To  this  faith  the  kingdom  is  coming, 
but  in  one  sense  it  has  already  come.  Prophets 
of  the  olden  time  lived  in  it,  and  their  strivings 
prepared  for  its  fuller  manifestation.  No  external 
form  or  visible  institution  can  completely  embody 
this  kingdom,  but  it  gives  to  them  all  the  life  they 
possess.  This  kingdom  is  wide  as  the  love  of  God ; 
our  efforts  to  circumscribe  it  are  vain;  faith  does 
not  attempt  to  limit  it,  but  seeks  its  centre  in  the 
presence  of  the  King. 

By  faith  a  man  enters  into  this  kingdom,  be- 
comes a  free  citizen,  and  finds  himself  at  home. 


1 68  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

He  understands  the  alien  world  that  he  has  left 
and  judges  it  in  the  light  of  truth.  Here  he  finds 
strength  and  freedom,  the  air  is  sweet  and  bracing: 
it  is  a  land  of  liberty  because  it  is  the  realm  of 
obedience.  In  this  region  religion  is  not  depend- 
ent upon  complex  arguments  or  timid  apologies, 
since  it  shines  in  its  own  light,  and  uplifts  by  its 
own  power.  By  faith  a  man  proves  the  reality 
and  energy  of  righteousness,  a  righteousness  not 
his  own,  and  yet  a  righteousness  that  he  must 
make  completely  his  own.  He  sees  it  in  the  life 
of  all  the  saints.  He  knows  the  battles  it  has 
fought  and  the  victories  it  has  won.  He  feels  its 
quickening  power  within  himself,  and  knows  that 
this  is  the  real  prize  of  life.  He  finds  the  right- 
eousness in  the  life  of  Christ  driving  away  the 
darkness,  bearing  shame,  and  conquering  death. 

By  faith  a  man  becomes  a  companion  of  Christ; 
the  shame,  the  sacrifice,  the  glory,  become  his 
portion  and  have  a  deep  meaning  for  life.  As 
Christ  had  taken  up  the  Cross  for  the  salvation  of 
men,  so  Paul  would  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
Christ.  As  Christ  had  risen  victorious  over  sin 
and  death,  so  Paul  would  rise  in  fellowship  with 
his  Master  into  the  glory  of  a  new  life.  He  never 
cherished  the  thought  that  the  cross  of  Christ  was 
for  him  a  convenient  escape  from  suffering,  but 
rather  a  power  by  which  to  conquer  sin  and  take 
away  the  sting  out  of  sorrow.  The  way  of  the 
cross  was  open  to  him  by  faith,  he  saw  its  meaning 
and  chose  it  as  the  way  of  service  and  the  way  to 
God.  The  bearing  of  the  cross  is  not  an  artificial 
penance  or  unreal  imitation;  it  is  the  life  of  the 


THE  CHIEF  GOOD  169 

man  of  faith  who  has  seen  into  his  own  heart  and 
the  heart  of  Christ.  Large  knowledge,  clear  in- 
sight, tender  sympathy,  gracious  helpfulness  are 
given  to  the  man  who  can  truly  say,  "I  count 
all  things  but  loss  that  I  may  win  Christ." 


THE    POWER    OF   A   SUPREME   LOVE 
FOR   CHRIST 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  POWER  OF  A  SUPREME  LOVE  FOR 
CHRIST 

(III,  8-1 1) 

This  is  not  the  enthusiastic  resolution,  the  im- 
pulsive promise,  of  a  young  convert  looking  out 
upon  a  new  career.  If  that  were  its  real  character 
it  would  still  be  worthy  of  respectful  consideration ; 
for  life  would  be  very  poor  without  the  buoyant 
hopes  and  high  resolves  of  youth.  But  it  means 
more  as  the  presentation  of  the  dominant  prin- 
ciple of  a  man's  life,  whose  course  had  been  one 
of  steady  perseverance  and  unceasing  progress, 
in  the  face  of  fierce  opposition.  A  man  must  of 
course  see  a  principle  before  he  can  live  it,  but  to 
others  the  proof  of  insight  and  conviction  is  the 
life  that  grows  out  of  it.  Therefore  we  must  con- 
sider this  statement  on  the  two  sides,  as  the  clear 
conviction  that  gave  unity  and  meaning  to  the 
man's  thought,  and  as  the  central  article  of  the 
creed  that  stood  the  stress  and  strain  of  life. 

Here  he  deliberately  places  all  worldly  attrac- 
tions and  earthly  privileges  on  one  side,  and  in 
comparison  with  the  winning  of  Christ  counts 
them  as  so  much  contemptible  refuse.  That  these 
things  are  absolutely  worthless  he  would  be  the 
last  to  maintain,  but  in  so  far  as  they  would  hinder 
real   appreciation   of   Christ's   saving  power   and 

i73 


174  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

spiritual  influence,  they  are  put  out  of  court. 
That  Paul  possessed  these  privileges  was  of  real 
advantage  to  him;  they  also,  in  their  own  way, 
prepared  him  for  the  larger  service  to  which  he 
was  called.  But  the  fact  is,  as  he  himself  clearly 
shows  that  he  would  never  have  entered  into  the 
larger  field  of  missionary  effort,  if  he  had  not 
placed  these  very  things  under  his  feet,  or  rather 
laid  them  at  the  feet  of  Christ.  Thus  do  the 
things  that  we  cast  away  for  Christ's  sake  become 
more  truly  our  own;  and  when  they  are  lightly 
esteemed  they  are  of  more  service  to  the  world 
than  when  we  yield  to  them  our  supreme  worship. 
It  is  an  advantage  to  us  that  this  matter  is  dis- 
cussed not  from  the  point  of  view  of  what  may  be, 
in  general,  the  value  of  patriotism,  of  dogmatism, 
and  ritualism;  but  what  is  given  is  the  revelation 
of  the  man's  deepest  secret,  the  declaration  of  his 
dominant  passion.  The  personal  nature  of  this 
confession  brings  it  very  near  to  us  because  the 
spiritual  nature  of  earnest  intelligent  men  is  very 
much  the  same  in  all  ages.  The  passionate  pro- 
test of  the  prophet,  the  eager  aspiration  of  the 
psalmist,  the  clear  confession  of  the  apostle  is  not 
quite  foreign  to  us.  The  form  of  the  battle 
changes,  but  the  conflict  is  the  same.  A  man  of 
Paul's  temper  does  not  wish  to  be  a  model  for 
slavish  imitation,  but  by  the  strength  of  his  per- 
sonality he  becomes  a  type;  studying  him  we  are 
learning  something  concerning  the  working  of  God 
in  human  life  and  the  grace  that  is  revealed  in 
Christ.  All  are  ours,  Paul,  Peter,  and  John,  and 
men  who  in  every  century  have  looked  the  facts 


POWER  OF  A  SUPREME  LOVE       175 

full  in  the  face  and  refused  to  be  content  with  any 
half-answer  or  second-hand  creed.  It  is  well  to 
have  a  supreme  passion  giving  unity  and  power  to 
our  own  life;  it  is  salvation  when  the  passion  is  a 
noble  one  proving  its  high  origin  and  healthful 
force.  The  man  consumed  with  greed  of  gold  we 
call  with  sad  suggestiveness  a  miser.  The  real 
philanthropist  is  not  merely  active  on  committees, 
but  is  a  true  minister  of  mercy  to  mankind.  The 
worldling  contented  with  shallow  sensations  and 
outward  shows  does  not  find  the  heart  of  things. 
We  may  misuse  these  labels  and  cruelly  misapply 
them,  but  they  have  a  real  meaning  in  the  radical 
difference  of  aim  and  dominant  purpose  that  dis- 
tinguishes the  lives  of  men.  In  this  sense  Paul 
may  be  called  a  Christian,  not  that  he  expresses 
all  truth  or  embodies  all  virtue  in  absolute  form, 
but  that  he  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  noblest 
witnesses  of  the  power  of  Jesus  to  found  a  king- 
dom of  love  in  the  heart  of  a  strong  man  of  varied 
capacity  and  large  demands. 

CONVICTIONS    CHANGED 

Paul  was  a  logician,  and  vindicated  the  rights 
of  reason;  yet,  with  proper  qualification,  we  may 
say  that  love,  not  logic,  was  the  cause  of  his  con- 
version. It  may  be  hard  for  us  to  understand 
how  the  vision  of  Jesus  acted  upon  his  soul,  but 
the  fact  is  there,  and  the  result  remains.  It  is  not 
likely  that  Paul  was  unaffected  by  arguments  and 
pleadings;  these  doubtless  had  an  influence  even 
when  they  seemed  only  to  produce  bitter  resist- 
ance.    The    sight    of    calm    believers    and    silent 


176  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

sufferers  also  had  a  real  message  for  him.  The 
turning-point  came,  when  he  recognized  the 
real  meaning  of  the  pathetic  words,  "It  is  hard 
for  thee  to  kick  against  the  goad."  That  this  was 
no  vain  fancy  but  a  voice  from  heaven  cannot  be 
a  matter  of  argument  in  any  shallow  sense ;  a  man 
must  test  his  own  visions,  find  out  whence  they 
come  and  whither  they  lead.  Then,  happy  the 
man  who  can  say,  "I  was  not  disobedient  to  the 
heavenly  vision." 

A  new  view  of  the  Messiah  is  given  to  him;  and 
he  accepts  the  cross  and  all  its  shame,  now  that 
he  sees  its  meaning.  The  rejected  Nazarene  is  seen 
to  be  indeed  a  King ;  One  who  has  a  rightful  claim 
to  rule  the  soul.  The  aspects  of  the  new  faith, 
which  once  led  him  to  treat  it  with  contempt  as 
a  fanatical  apostasy  from  the  true  tradition,  now 
reveal  their  harmony  with  the  hopes  kindled  by 
the  highest  teaching  of  the  past,  and  with  the 
deeper  needs  of  his  own  spirit.  This  changed 
view  of  Jesus  is  the  key  to  the  whole  situation. 
Henceforth  "Jesus"  and  "Christ,"  two  names  that 
stood  far  apart,  in  irreconcilable  contradiction, 
are  to  be  so  blended  in  his  thought  that  they  are  no 
longer  two  but  one.  To  know  nothing  save  Jesus 
Christ  and  Him  crucified  is  now  recognized  as  a 
worthy  aim,  which  a  man  may  pursue  with  both 
intensity  and  breadth.  From  the  cross,  as  a  cen- 
tral position,  the  whole  of  life  is  illumined,  and 
every  question  of  living  interest  can  find  a  real 
solution.  This  involves  a  changed  view  of  self. 
Religion  is  now  self-sacrifice  rather  than  self- 
culture.     The  centre  of  the  world  has  shifted,  and 


POWER  OF  A  SUPREME  LOVE        177 

is  no  longer  found  in  his  own  life,  with  its  painful 
strivings  but  in  the  life  of  Christ,  as  the  revelation 
of  God's  light  and  love.  In  both  cases  to  a  man 
so  earnest  in  purpose  and  energetic  in  temperament 
it  must  be  a  toilsome  process;  but  in  the  one  case 
it  is  to  grasp  something  that  ever  remained  outside, 
in  the  other  to  work  out  a  life  that  had  been 
inspired  from  within.  In  the  one  case  the  man, 
measuring  himself  by  conventional  standards,  may 
find  that  wherein  he  may  glory;  in  the  other  he 
beholds  a  perfection  which,  though  it  has  stooped 
down  and  touched  his  heart  is,  in  its  eternal  majesty, 
as  high  as  the  throne  of  God. 

This  means  an  altogether  different  view  of  the 
world,  that  is,  the  world  of  men.  The  world  of 
nature,  of  science,  and  of  art,  did  not  appeal  to  Paul 
in  the  same  way  as  to  the  noblest  of  the  Greeks 
and  to  the  most  thoughtful  of  modern  men.  The 
spirit  in  which  he  lived  is  consistent  with  the 
purest  thoughts  and  broadest  views  on  these 
subjects,  but  he  was  predominantly  the  missionary 
of  a  new  faith.  The  change  that  came  to  him 
through  the  love  of  Christ  broke  down  the  walls 
of  the  little  world  in  which  he  had  been  living, 
and  caused  him  to  look  upon  all  men  with  a  new 
brotherly  interest  and  hope.  Class  distinctions 
were  real  enough  to  him,  but  they  withered  away 
as  he  thought  of  men  in  their  relation  to  Christ  and 
to  each  other. 

THE    CONDUCT    CONTROLLED 

All  this  would  be  interesting  as  theology,  but 
it  is  as  life  that  it  comes  before  us.     That  it  made 


178  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

Paul  a  thinker  in  the  higher  sense  is  quite  true. 
All  his  activity  is  intelligent  and  proceeds  from 
one  central  principle,  but  the  point  needing 
emphasis  now  is  that  the  stimulus  of  these  great 
thoughts  sent  him  round  the  world  to  proclaim 
this  faith  to  all  who  would  receive  it.  We  do  not 
undervalue  the  thinker  who  stimulates  and  trains 
the  mental  life;  for  the  man  whose  life  is  quiet 
and  uneventful  may  send  forth  far-reaching 
quickening  influences.  It  was,  however,  im- 
possible for  Paul  to  lead  such  a  life;  neither  his 
temperament  nor  the  needs  of  the  time  would 
allow  it.  The  world's  heart  was  aching  for  a  new 
manifestation  of  religion.  The  possession  of  a 
new  life  always,  but  specially  in  such  an  age, 
carried  with  it  the  responsibility  for  large  and 
varied  service.  Correct  opinion  is  good,  but 
noble  conduct  is  the  final  test,  and  in  this  case 
it  meant  preaching  as  a  missionary,  instruct- 
ing patiently  as  a^  teacher,  and  suffering  as 
a  martyr. 

As  a  missionary  he  marks  an  epoch  in  the  life 
of  the  world.  The  movement  that  he  led  had 
long  been  prepared  for,  and  it  came  in  "the  ful- 
ness of  times."  Thinkers  and  workers,  prophets 
and  poets,  in  all  ages  and  in  many  lands,  had  seen 
visions  and  cherished  hopes  of  something  larger 
than  any  mere  local  religion.  The  Son  of  God 
had  spoken  the  word  of  freedom  and  had  given 
a  large  commission.  There  were  many  Christian 
disciples  who  felt  that  great  changes  were  pend- 
ing, and  had  a  presentiment  of  an  expanding 
kingdom.     But  when  all  this  is  said — and  we  need 


POWER  OF  A  SUPREME  LOVE       179 

to  say  it  in  order  to  do  justice  to  a  great  question- 
it  is  still  true  that  here  was  a  great  leader  and  a 
new  type  of  missionary. 

As  a  teacher  his  toil  is  strenuous  and  varied. 
He  is  not  content  with  a  small  definite  formula; 
he  is  not  ambitious  to  hand  down  a  hard  tradition; 
his  aim  is  to  train  thoughtful  disciples,  and  to 
create  a  living  community.  This  means  not  only 
intelligence  and  industry;  it  demands  insight 
and  patience.  He  must  face  misinterpretation 
and  be  willing  to  re-iterate  in  varied  forms  lessons 
that  to  himself  are  clear  as  the  noon-day.  The 
result  in  his  own  day  seems  to  have  been  slow 
and  unsatisfactory,  but  important  as  the  work 
was  for  that  generation,  its  significance  is  far  from 
being  exhausted,  and  its  ruling  principles  the 
Church  needs  to-day  as  much  as  ever. 

As  a  martyr  he  showed  men  how  to  meet  per- 
secution with  dignity  and  hopefulness.  He  did 
not  covet  the  martyr's  crown  in  any  such  foolish 
fashion  as  to  run  recklessly  into  danger.  He  was 
willing  to  share  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  He 
counted  it  an  honour  to  suffer  in  a  good  cause,  but 
he  did  not  run  to  seek  the  suffering;  he  took  it  as 
God  sent  it,  and  like  all  the  true  prophets,  he 
found  it  in  the  path  of  duty.  He  sought  to  express 
in  all  these  lines  of  conduct,  the  love  that  had 
penetrated  to  the  depths  of  his  being  and  changed 
his  whole  life. 

THE    SOUL    SATISFIED 

Men  have  changed  their  opinions  and  modified 
their   conduct   without   finding  real   satisfaction. 


1S0  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

The  change  was  real  but  not  radical;  the  problem 
of  life  was  not  really  solved.  Rest  of  a  poor 
unworthy  kind  is  not  our  portion;  real  satisfaction 
we  must  have.  The  test  of  a  true  religion  is  that 
it  meets  all  the  legitimate  demands  of  the  soul; 
that  in  it  our  past,  present  and  future  shall  find 
their  meaning.  There  must  be  rest  at  the  centre 
if  there  is  to  be  living  movement  all  round.  A 
man  like  Paul  would  have  worn  his  spirit  down 
by  restless  chafing,  if  he  had  not  found  a  satis- 
factory relation  to  God  and  his  fellow-men.  He 
did  find  such  reconciliation;  and  the  rich  result 
we  see  in  his  life.  Every  exposition  that  we  have 
given  of  his  ideas  as  they  sought  to  embody  them- 
selves in  action,  and  instil  themselves  into  the 
minds  of  his  disciples,  shows  that  it  was  real  life 
that  he  found,  life  with  a  large  outlook  and  an 
undying  hope.  To  know  what  is  meant  by 
"winning  Christ"  we  must  pass  in  review  the 
many-sided  statements  of  truth  and  the  lofty 
ideals  of  conduct  that  he  set  before  himself  and 
his  followers.  It  was  not  merely  the  forgiveness 
of  past  sins,  though  that  was  a  proper  subject  for 
warmest  gratitude;  it  was  not  simply  the  vision  of 
future  blessedness,  though  that  was  a  consoling 
power  in  many  a  trying  hour;  it  was  a  present 
satisfaction  that  linked  these  into  living  unity, 
and  proved  that  faith  in  the  unseen  world  is  the 
mightiest  force  to  equip  a  man  for  stern  tasks  and 
tender  ministries. 

The  revelation  of  God  in  Christ  evidently  met 
the  needs  and  fully  satisfied  the  demands  of  this 
man  with  his  restless  energy  and  keen  vision.     The 


POWER  OF  A  SUPREME  LOVE       1S1 

question  arises,  Can  it  meet  the  needs  of  similar 
men  to-day?  We  believe  that  it  can,  when  men 
look  at  it  in  its  own  light  and  do  not  fasten  it  down 
to  outworn  forms  of  thought,  or  identify  it  too 
closely  with  that  which  is  local  and  temporary. 
The  intellectual  and  social  problems  of  our  time 
are  different;  questions  are  forced  upon  us  that 
were  unknown  to  Paul;  and  even  in  the  realm  of 
theology  we  cannot  live  upon  the  outward  form 
of  this  man's  thought.  But  we  can  see  clearly  that 
the  cross  of  Christ  was  a  revelation  to  him  of  truth 
that  is  eternal,  the  truth  that  God  stoops  down  to 
forgive  our  sin  and  bear  our  sorrow,  that  the 
highest  manifestation  of  this  eternal  love  is  in 
the  gentle  service  of  Jesus,  and  that  the  man  who 
is  constrained  by  the  power  of  the  divine  love 
and  seeks  to  express  his  worship  of  God  in  his 
service  of  men,  finds  in  nobler  forms  the  life  that 
he  gives.  All  this  is  truth  central,  vital,  and 
creative  in  its  influence.  It  may  be  appropriated 
by  the  men  of  to-day  who  are  touched  by  the 
spirit  of  faith  and  reverence,  whatever  may  be 
the  nature  of  their  activity,  or  the  character  of 
their  culture.  "Dying  yet  we  live"  is  a  word  of 
deep  and  abiding  significance  in  every  sphere  of 
thought  and  conduct. 


THE   RISEN   LORD   AND   THE    RISEN 
LIFE 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE  RISEN  LORD  AND  THE  RISEN  LIFE 

(III,  io,  ii) 

The  Resurrection  of  Jesus  is  a  matter  of  immense 
importance  for  the  faith  of  the  first  disciples,  and 
it  becomes  at  once  a  central  theme  in  their  preach- 
ing.    To  Paul  it  was  a  fact  of  history,  and  a  force 
of  the  spiritual  life;  it  is  in  the  latter  sense  that 
it  is  set  forth  here.     The  apostle  is  not  now  con- 
cerned with  proving  that  Jesus  actually  rose  from 
the  dead;  he  is  not  moving  in  the  realm  of  con- 
troversial apologetics,  but  declaring  and  defining 
the    influence    that    a    living    sympathetic    union 
with  the  Christ  exerts  over  his  own  life.     By  faith, 
he  has  risen  with  Christ,  and  hence  he  possesses  a 
confident  hope  of  attaining  to  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead.     Even  when  he  deals  with  the  doctrine 
of   the   resurrection,   in   his   most   argumentative 
manner,  his  great  aim  is  not  so  much  to  prove  that 
Jesus  rose  as  that  His  disciples  will  rise  from  the 
dead.     He   does   indeed   state   that   faith   in   the 
resurrection  is  of  vital  importance,  and  that  if  sin 
and  death  have  conquered,  in  the  case  of  Christ, 
there  is  no  hope  for  us.     Jesus  had  been  seen  alive 
by  credible  witnesses,  and  had  revealed  Himself 
to   Paul,   hence   there   is   no   need   to   doubt   this 
glorious  truth,  that  He  has  completed  His  sacri- 
fice, conquered  death,  and  opened  the  Kingdom  of 

185 


1 86  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

heaven  to  all  believers.  The  questions  which 
exercise  and  torment  the  minds  of  many  reverent 
thinkers,  as  to  how  these  things  can  be,  he  does 
not  consider  with  any  elaborate  manner;  in  the 
one  case  he  does  not  touch  them  at  all,  and  in 
the  other,  he  has  given  one  suggestion,  drawn  from 
the  analogy  of  the  seed  that  through  death  enters 
into  a  fuller  life.  He  moves  altogether  in  the  sphere 
of  history  and  religion;  the  problems  which  come 
to  us  from  what  we  now  call  the  world  of  science 
did  not  exist,  in  the  same  way,  for  him. 

The  great  thought  that  runs  through  the  teach- 
ing of  Paul  is  the  vital  union  of  the  believer  with 
Christ,  a  union  now  of  spirit  and  life  which  will 
grow  into  a  union  of  character  and  destiny. 
Though  he  dwells  on  the  two  sides  of  historical 
reality  and  spiritual  power,  it  is  the  actual  present 
grasp  that  Christ  has  upon  his  personal  experience 
that,  more  and  more,  becomes  prominent  and  sig- 
nificant in  his  thought.  If  we  now  consider  well 
this  living  thread  that  runs  through  all  his  preach- 
ing, we  shall  see  that  for  such  a  man  history  and 
doctrine  are  valuable,  in  so  far  as  they  can 
reproduce  themselves  in  the  life  of  the  believing 
man.  History  is  the  revelation  of  God,  the  life 
and  death  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  fullest  manifesta- 
tion of  His  perfect  justice  and  unconquerable  love. 
But  God  still  reveals  Himself  to  men  of  open 
mind  and  willing  spirit.  The  life  and  death  of 
Jesus  is  not  finished  in  the  sense  that  it  is  a  mere 
external  substitution.  We  may  make  fine  dis- 
tinctions, in  our  schemes  of  thought,  but  Christian 
experience   means   living   over   again   the   life   of 


RISEN  LORD  AND  RISEN  LIFE       187 

Christ.  The  faith  that  sees  the  meaning  of  His 
life  and  appropriates  the  saving  virtue  of  His  sacri- 
fice is,  in  itself,  a  beginning  of  the  new  God-given 
life.  Paul  declares  that  he  died  with  Christ;  He 
shares  the  self-sacrificing  sufferings,  and  hopes  to 
attain  unto  the  same  glorious  resurrection.  This 
is  no  exaggeration;  it  is  no  mere  figure  of  speech; 
it  is  only  poetic  in  the  sense  that  every  such  pre- 
sentation of  living  truth  is  poetic.  It  is  not  some- 
thing peculiar  to  Paul,  though  he  saw  it  with 
special  clearness  and  lived  it  with  remarkable 
consistency.  If  the  life  which  he  claims  to  possess 
were  not  possible  to  all  of  us,  it  might  be  inter- 
esting as  a  piece  of  history,  but  would  not  be  a 
suitable  subject  for  a  religious  meditation.  The 
lives  of  prophets  and  apostles,  of  saints,  and  heroes 
depend  for  their  quickening  power  upon  this  fact, 
that  in  them  we  see  at  work  the  principles  which 
underlie  our  own  deepest  life.  What  the  resur- 
rection meant  to  Paul,  as  a  power  of  life,  it  may 
mean  to  us;  "now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead 
and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept," 
has  a  great  significance.  It  is  a  sweet  gracious 
word  for  the  present,  as  well  as  a  rich  promise 
for  the  future. 

(1)  The  Teacher  who  fulfilled  in  Himself  the 
hopes  and  prophecies  of  the  past  is  the  Saviour 
of  men.  In  Him  religion  becomes  spiritual,  and 
drops  the  ceremonial  wrappings  and  local  limi- 
tations, so  that  it  can  go  forth  to  meet  men's 
needs,  and  adapt  itself  to  different  modes  of 
thought.  Though  this  was  in  His  teaching  from 
the  first,  men  could  not  see  it  clearly  until  they 


188  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

learned  to  think  of  Him  as  exalted  to  a  loftier 
place  and  wielding  a  wider  influence.  He  has  not 
simply  risen  from  the  dead.  He  has  gone  up  to 
His  rightful  throne,  from  which  He  exercises 
kingly  power,  which  was  not  possible  to  Him  as  a 
Jew  among  His  own  people.  The  risen  Christ  is 
to  Paul  the  ideal  man  in  whom  all  superficial  dis- 
tinctions are  abolished,  and  from  whom  there 
issues  a  quickening  power  which  every  child-like 
spirit  can  receive.  The  ritualists  who  stirred  his 
fierce  indignation  were  from  this  point  of  view 
traitors  to  the  King. 

(2),  This  exaltation  of  the  Christ  implies  the 
completion  of  His  supreme  service  as  reconciling 
in  Himself  the  life  of  God  and  man.  The  mani- 
festation of  God  in  Christ  condemns  our  wicked 
lawlessness,  and  through  the  sacrifice  of  obedience, 
brings  near  the  forgiving  love,  which  takes  away 
the  sting  of  sin  and  the  bitterness  of  death.  As 
He  moved  among  men  He  broke  down  the  bar- 
riers set  up  by  religious  pride  and  intolerance; 
in  His  presence  the  outcasts  of  society  felt  the 
power  of  a  divine  sympathy.  This  pity  of  God  is 
now  seen  to  dwell  in  the  heavenly  sphere  and  to 
be  available  for  all  who  are  bowed  down  under 
the  burden  of  sin  and  sorrow.  Indeed  this  love 
was  always  in  the  heart  of  God,  but  now  that  it 
has  been  made  flesh  and  has  dwelt  among  men, 
it  has  become  the  common  property  of  all  who 
can  see  the  meaning  of  that  great  life. 

(3),  Goodness  is  vindicated  and  enthroned.  A 
new  answer  is  given  to  the  old  problem  of  suffer- 
ing.    He  who  surrendered  Himself  to  God  most 


RISEN  LORD  AND  RISEN  LIFE       189 

completely  was  rejected  and  defeated.  The  Man 
whose  life  was  to  be  for  all  peoples  the  highest 
type  of  goodness  was  doomed  to  the  shameful 
cross.  But  the  message  of  the  Risen  Lord  is  that 
it  is  well  for  a  man  to  lose  his  life  for  the  sake  of 
God  and  goodness.  We  know  that  with  Paul 
this  was  not  a  theory  or  sentiment  but  a  living 
creed  and  consistent  practice. 

(4),  The  life  which  the  Risen  Saviour  begets  in 
those  who  trust  and  love  Him  is  such  that  death 
cannot  destroy  it;  it  claims  kinship  with  the 
divine  and  eternal,  it  springs  up  into  eternal  life. 
Paul  knows  that  he  possesses  this  life;  he  traces 
to  it  his  noblest  thoughts  and  most  faithful  ser- 
vice; he  desires  to  keep  it  pure  and  make  full 
proof  of  it  in  his  ministry ;  and  thus  he  will  attain 
unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  To  work  into 
one  clear,  grand  scheme  of  thought  all  the  history 
and  theology  that  lies  behind  these  beliefs  and 
aspirations  would  require  much  time  and  skill. 
Paul  does  not  attempt  that  here.  The  burden  of 
his  argument  tends  to  show  the  vanity  of  trusting 
in  anything  save  Christ  and  His  revelation  of 
truth  and  love,  and  to  conduct  this  argument 
effectively  to  its  goal  he  must  show  the  many 
links  which  bind  Him  to  that  Christ  who  satisfies 
every  need  of  mind  and  heart. 


PAUL'S   VIEW   OF  THE   PAST 


CHAPTER  XXI 

PAUL'S  VIEW  OF  THE  PAST 
(HI,  13). 

It  has  been  seriously  discussed  whether  the 
possession  or  the  pursuit  of  truth  is  the  more  to  be 
desired;  Paul  seems  to  say  that  for  real  life  of 
mind  and  heart  we  must  have  both.  The  truth  is 
not  a  toy  very  desirable  to  the  child  in  antici- 
pation but  in  possession  tame  and  wearisome.  A 
man  could  not  continue  in  the  pursuit  of  truth  if 
he  was  not  sustained  by  its  power.  The  real 
truth-seeker  must  often  be  refreshed  by  glimpses 
of  its  beauty.  Those  who  insist  upon  the  glory  of 
pursuit  remind  us  rightly  that  the  joy  of  life  is  in 
the  activity  of  noble  powers.  There  is  sweet 
exhilaration  in  healthy  movement,  whether  of 
brain  or  muscle.  The  rest  that  a  living  man  en- 
joys is  not  merely  sleep,  or  dull  quietness;  there 
is  rest  also  in  harmonious  action. 

"Rest  is  not  quitting  the  busy  career, 
Rest  is  the  fitting  of  self  to  its  sphere, 
'Tis  the  brook's  motion 
Clear  without  strife, 
Fleeing  to  ocean 
After  its  life, 
'Tis  loving  and  serving 
The  highest  and  best, 
'Tis  onward  unswerving, 
And  that  is  true  rest." 

193 


194  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

There  is  a  restlessness  in  human  life  such  that  we 
are  sometimes  tempted  to  believe  that  "Man  never 
is,  but  always  to  be  blest."  We  have  had  our 
interests,  moments  of  blessedness,  times  of  sweet 
satisfaction ;  but  as  soon  as  we  yield  to  the  tempta- 
tion to  regard  these  as  permanent  possessions, 
final  achievements,  they  slip  away  from  us.  They 
come  not  back  in  the  same  shape,  we  must  find 
them  in  a  higher  form  or  lose  them  forever.  ' '  More 
life  and  fuller"  is  our  constant  cry,  and  yet  with 
all  our  feverish  restlessness  we  have  a  longing  for 
some  definite  and  final  thing,  that  we  can  grasp 
and  sit  down  to  enjoy,  with  a  feeling  that  the 
problem  is  solved  and  the  duty  done.  We  grow 
weary  in  the  pursuit  of  truth,  we  are  tired  of  the 
constant  attempt  to  adjust  ourselves  to  new  con- 
ditions. We  wish  to  see  the  perfect  picture  and 
admire,  in  mystic  rapture,  the  wonderful  work 
that  we  have  achieved. 

But  surely  the  converted  man  has  gained  peace 
and  come  to  know  the  meaning  of  rest !  Thus  we 
speak  in  our  shallow  ignorance,  making  an  end  of 
that  which  is  but  a  beginning,  and  regarding  a 
living  process  as  a  stagnant  condition.  Here  we 
have  a  man  who  will  help  us  in  this  enquiry;  his 
conversion  was  definite  and  decisive,  and  his  life 
was  one  of  unending  toil  and  unceasing  progress. 
He  claims  to  be  self-sufficient  in  the  inward  life, 
but  he  expressly  disowns  self-satisfaction.  He 
can,  with  gentle  irony,  refer  to  those  who  make  an 
idol  of  their  own  small  perfection.  Christ  has 
laid  hold  of  him,  but  that  is  not  perfection,  he 


PAUL'S  VIEW  OF  THE  PAST         195 

must  lay  hold  of  Christ.  He  has  risen,  through 
the  death  of  the  old  self  to  a  higher  life,  but  that 
is  not  perfection.  The  meaning  of  that  word 
"resurrection"  is  by  no  means  fully  explored. 
He  has  seen  strange  visions,  fought  fierce  battles, 
and  done  daring  deeds;  but  all  these  have  gone  to 
the  making  of  a  life  that  must  be  strenuously 
defended  and  carried  to  loftier  heights. 

This  is  the  highest  thought  of  the  Christian  life, 
that  runs  all  through  Paul's  preaching,  that  is 
enforced  by  many  a  striking  picture  and  many  a 
passionate  appeal.  It  is  quite  evident  that  in 
this  he  was  true  to  the  life  and  teaching  of  his 
Lord.  It  is  easy  to  be  earnest  in  a  spasmodic 
fashion,  flaming  out  now  and  then  into  fiery  words 
and  vigorous  deeds;  it  is  also  easy  to  keep  on  in  a 
steady  routine;  but  to  be  really  alive  all  round 
and  all  the  time  is  a  difficult  matter;  to  maintain 
quickness  of  thought,  responsiveness  of  feeling 
and  hopefulness  of  spirit  is  not  easy.  In  a  sense 
we  do  live  out  the  past,  it  is  because  of  what  it  has 
been  and  what  we  have  done  that  we  are  able  to 
be  what  we  are ;  but  if  we  come  to  live  upon  it  and 
trust  in  it  we  are  on  the  way  to  stagnation  and 
death.  Paul's  phrase  is  a  picture  of  strenuous 
effort;  he  is  forgetting  the  things  that  lie  behind 
him,  in  his  Christian  experience,  and  with  intense 
determination  and  definite  aim  stretching  forward 
to  the  glorious  completion  and  the  crown  of  his 
career.  We  cannot  in  any  stupid,  literal  sense 
forget  the  past,  at  least,  we  cannot  do  so  without 
real  loss,  but  in  the  true  sense  we  can  forget  the 


196  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

failures  and  successes  of  the  past  by  keeping 
them  in  their  proper  place,  so  that  they  shall 
neither  embitter  nor  enfeeble  us,  nor  minister  to 
a  false  pride.  When  the  runner  is  nerving  him- 
self for  the  final  effort,  rushing  swiftly  yet  steadily 
along  "the  homestretch,"  he  is  actually  availing 
himself  of  all  past  discipline  and  giving  it  a  mean- 
ing and  application.  The  more  satisfactory  the 
course  is  that  lies  behind  him,  the  less  does  he 
need  to  look  back;  the  more  a  noble  past  has 
entered  into  him,  the  more  does  present  effort 
prepare  for  future  progress. 

Paul's  outlook  into  the  future  explains  his  view 
of  the  past.  Where  there  is  this  straining  eager- 
ness, this  constant  movement,  this  confident  hope, 
the  past  will  be  rightly  treated;  in  so  far  as  it  is 
a  dead  past,  it  will  be  allowed  to  bury  its  dead; 
in  so  far  as  it  is  a  living  past,  its  threads  will  be 
gathered  up  and  woven  into  new  products  of 
high  emotion  and  noble  purpose.  The  young  man 
who  has  received  a  new  revelation  should  scorn 
the  thought  of  sitting  down  to  worship  the  bright- 
est things  in  his  brief  career.  The  man  with  a  long 
and  varied  life  behind  him  may  perhaps  be  ex- 
cused if  he  is  tempted  a  little  in  this  direc- 
tion. He  who  knows  our  weakness  will  not  judge 
him  harshly.  But  we  must  fight  against  this 
tendency,  as  long  as  we  can,  and  with  forward 
look  upon  our  face  keep  a  childlike  heart  and 
cherish  the  hope  of  new  visions  from  our  God, 
that  will  keep  alive  our  faith  in  the  coming 
kingdom. 


PAUL'S  VIEW  OF  THE  PAST  197 

Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  O  my  soul, 

As  the  swift  seasons  roll, 

Leave  thy  low-vaulted  past,  1 

Let  each  new  temple,  nobler  than  the  last, 

Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast, 

Till  thou  at  length  art  free, 

Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  life's  unresting  sea. 


PAUL'S   VIEW   OF   CHRISTIAN 
PERFECTION 


CHAPTER  XXII 

PAUL'S  VIEW  OF  CHRISTIAN   PERFECTION 
Phil.  Ill,  12-16. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  chapter  the  Apostle  has 
set  forth  the  reality  of  his  conversion  and  the 
depth  of  his  own  spiritual  life.  He  now  sketches 
briefly  his  view  of  Christian  perfection.  Paul's 
teaching  on  such  a  subject  must  be  both  interest- 
ing and  important.  It  is  a  subject  that  has  always 
exercised  the  thought  of  earnest  disciples,  and 
around  it  there  have  been  many  sharp  contro- 
versies. Judging  from  the  text,  we  conclude 
there  were  some  at  that  time  who  claimed  to  have 
reached  perfection,  and  ever  since  there  have  been 
disciples  who  have  set  up  the  same  claim.  Thus, 
it  is  not  a  mere  matter  of  abstract  theory,  but  an 
affair  of  real,  living  interest.  The  utterances  of 
such  a  man  on  such  a  theme  demand  careful  atten- 
tion. He  will  not  treat  it  in  a  cool  speculative 
fashion,  or  handle  it  in  a  cynical  mood;  he  has  ten- 
der sympathy,  large  experience,  well-balanced 
life.  The  spirit  of  God  leads  him  to  present  large 
views  of  truth  and  saves  him  from  the  dominion 
of  small  conceits  or  narrow  fads. 

Paul,  here  as  elsewhere,  is  positive  and  con- 
structive in  his  method.  He  does  not  waste 
energy  in  refuting  or  ridiculing  the  opinions  of 


202  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

others,  but  rather  communicates  with  clearness 
and  dignity  the  truth  he  has  received.  It  would 
have  been  quite  easy  for  him  to  have  denounced 
with  sharp  sarcasm  and  withering  contempt  the 
shallow  pretenders  to  perfection.  He,  true  to  his 
character  and  mission,  chose  the  more  excellent 
way.  He  boldly  presented  the  Christian  life  as 
an  ever-growing,  ever-enlarging  experience,  and 
alluded  with  the  utmost  brevity  to  the  preten- 
sions of  self-styled  perfect  people.  He  gives  us 
not  abstract  doctrines  but  personal  experience; 
but  in  choosing  this  form  of  testimony  he  does  not 
mean  either  to  limit  the  grace  of  God,  or  to 
make  his  own  life  the  measure  of  every  man's  expe- 
rience. He  would  be  the  last  man  to  discourage 
high  aims  or  demand  that  every  life  should  be 
moulded  on  the  same  stereotyped  plan.  It  is 
dangerous  to  denounce  "perfectionism"  in  such 
a  way  that  men  are  led  to  lower  the  ideal  of  Chris- 
tian life,  and  become  content  to  render  an  easy 
compliance  with  the  conventions  of  religious 
society,  and  the  ceremonies  of  the  Church.  That 
kind  of  "moderatism"  which  is  neither  cold  nor 
hot  is  a  flat,  helpless  form  of  religion,  neither 
acceptable  to  God  nor  serviceable  to  man.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  is  danger  in  the  doctrine  of 
perfection,  as  it  is  often  set  forth  at  revival  meet- 
ings or  Evangelistic  services.  In  these  presenta- 
tions there  is  no  doubt  a  mingling  of  truth  and 
error,  but  we  do  not  venture  to  make  severe 
criticisms  on  that  account  as  it  is  difficult  to  state 
any  truth  in  a  perfectly  pure,  symmetrical  form. 
The  real  danger  in  these  popular  appeals  is  that 


CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION  203 

the  very  idea  of  perfection  may  be  narrowed,  thus 
lowering  the  standard  instead  of  uplifting  the 
•soul.  It  is  possible  to  think  of  perfection  not  as  a 
full-orbed  completeness  of  life  and  character,  of 
thought  feeling  and  conduct,  but  merely  as  an 
exalted  state  of  emotion,  a  rapturous  devotional 
mood,  and  this  may  easily  become  shallow  and 
artificial.  Dealing  with  a  subject  that  is  thus 
compassed  with  difficulties  on  either  hand,  Paul 
avoids  the  falsehood  of  extremes  and  goes  to  the 
heart   of   the   matter. 

He  has  pointed  out  clearly  two  subjects  of  his 
hope  and  desire.  (1),  that  he  might  enter  into 
full  sympathy  with  the  Saviour's  sufferings  and 
resurrection,  and  (2),  that  he  might  attain  unto 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead  and  enjoy  a  blessed 
immortality.  In  other  words  he  longed  for  a 
richer,  sweeter  experience  here,  and  a  glorious  life 
hereafter. 

Now  he  warns  us  against  thinking  that  he  claims 
to  have  reached  the  perfect  life.  He  has  vindicated 
the  reality  of  his  own  conversion,  he  can  speak  of 
Jesus  as  his  Saviour,  and  he  cherishes  a  blessed 
hope  of  eternal  life;  but  when  he  looks  at  himself 
in  the  light  that  streams  from  the  Cross,  it  is  the 
littleness  and  incompleteness  of  his  life  that  seems 
most  real  and  striking.  The  great  things  he  has 
received  are  regarded  as  a  promise  and  foretaste 
of  deeper  experience  and  richer  revelations.  This 
leads  him  to  say,  "I  have  not  yet  grasped  the  prize, 
I  am  not  yet  perfected,  the  supreme  thing  with 
me  is  not  what  I  am  but  what  I  hope  to  be  through 
the  grace  of  God  and  the  love  of  Christ."     The 


204  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

reality  of  Paul's  conversion  is  seen  in  this,  that 
it  is  the  beginning  of  a  new  life,  the  starting  point 
of  a  noble  career.  A  spurious  conversion  ends 
in  stagnation  or  re-action,  and  those  who  pass 
through  it,  are  worse,  not  better  than  before.  They 
were  anxious,  restless,  striving  after  real  purity 
and  deep  peace,  but  now  after  a  false  excitement 
they  fall  into  a  dreary  routine.  Paul's  conversion 
was  a  deliverance  from  a  system  that  promised 
perfection  as  a  reward  of  strict  obedience  to  an 
almost  infinite  number  of  external  commands.  It 
was  not  an  easy  form  of  religious  discipline,  it 
demanded  from  its  devotees  intense  concentra- 
tion and  unrelaxing  perseverance.  But  the  per- 
fection that  it  gave  could  not  satisfy  a  great  hungry 
soul.  In  the  Christian  life  Paul  found  constant 
movement,  real  growth,  steady  advancement. 
There  was  the  deepest  satisfaction  but  at  the  same 
time  a  healthy  restlessness.  The  very  faith  that 
gives  real  joy  is  also  the  power  that  reaches  for- 
ward and  anticipates  the  possession  of  a  still 
greater  prize. 

Thus  Paul  represents  the  Christian  life  as  a 
strenuous  endeavor  after  a  great  prize,  a  pure 
reward,  a  supreme  satisfaction.  But  it  is  the 
striving  of  a  man  who  has  in  a  certain  measure 
found  that  for  which  he  seeks.  "Jesus  Christ  has 
laid  hold  of  me,  and  I  am  seeking  to  lay  hold  of 
Him.  He  has  lifted  me  out  of  the  grave  of  my  old 
life  and  I  am  seeking  to  rise  into  full  sympathy 
with  His  redeeming  purposes."  Here  we  have  the 
explanation  of  the  fact  that  the  Christian  disciple 
cannot  call  himself  perfect,  and  yet  cannot  cease 


CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION]  205 

from  praying  and  struggling  after  perfection.  To 
be  perfect  for  Paul  means  to  be  mature,  that  is, 
Christ-like;  he  has  the  spirit  of  Christ  but  has  not 
yet  attained  the  full  measure  of  its  manifestation. 
It  is  the  largeness  of  his  faith,  the  sanity  of  his 
judgment,  the  sweep  of  his  imagination  that  leads 
him  to  disclaim  perfection,  so  far  as  he  himself 
is  concerned.  He  bears  testimony  to  the  actual 
facts  of  his  own  life,  and  so  pays  the  most  effective 
tribute  to  the  power  and  perfection  of  the  Christ. 

Just  as  strongly  as  he  disclaims  perfection  does 
he  claim  to  possess  the  highest  aspiration.  "This 
one  thing  I  do,"  indicates  loftiness  of  aim  and  con- 
stancy of  purpose.  His  whole  life  is  absorbed  in 
the  real  search  for  perfection,  and  he  knows  how 
to  seek  it,  not  in  his  own  raptures,  but  in  his  com- 
munion with  God  and  his  service  of  men.  This 
gives  unity  to  his  life,  makes  it  the  same  thing 
in  all  times  and  places.  This  supreme  purpose 
controls  all  the  details  of  his  life  and  subordinates 
its  varied  activities  to  one  glorious  end.  In  his 
preaching  and  suffering,  in  the  whole  round  of  his 
many-sided  ministry,  there  was  manifest  this  one 
purpose  to  attain  a  strong  mature  Christian  life. 
It  may  be  well  to  ask  whether  our  life  possesses 
any  such  noble  clearness,  constancy,  and  consist- 
ency. 

Paul  treats  this  aim  of  his  life  on  its  two  sides, 
in  its  relation  to  the  past  and  to  the  future.  It  is 
a  forgetting  of  the  past,  a  leaving  of  that  which  is 
behind.  We  owe  much  to  the  past ;  its  results  for 
good  or  evil  are  gathered  into  the  living  present; 
its  victories  have  given  us  strength,  its  defeats  have 


2o6  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

left  scars  upon  our  souls.  It  is  not  possible  literally 
and  absolutely  to  forget  the  past,  neither  is  it 
desirable.  The  man  who,  because  of  his  wretch- 
edness, prayed  for  the  power  to  forget  all  the  past, 
discovered  when  his  prayer  was  granted,  that  he 
had  lost  more  than  he  had  gained,  and  that  a  better 
prayer  would  have  been,  "Lord,  keep  my  memory 
green."  But  it  is  possible  to  cling  to  the  past  in 
a  way  that  weakens  our  present  power  and  hinders 
our  real  progress.  In  the  individual  life,  as  well  as 
in  the  Church,  we  must  beware  of  having  a  religion 
that  is  history  and  nothing  more.  The  man  who 
has  had  a  startling  conversion  may  be  tempted  to 
live  too  much  in  the  past,  and  to  think  that  his 
wonderful  experience  is  for  himself  the  beginning 
and  the  end,  and  for  others  the  type  and  pattern 
of  all  life.  Paul  could  point  to  such  a  conversion, 
and  on  more  than  one  occasion  he  makes  effective 
use  of  his  testimony,  but  he  is  on  his  guard  against 
the  temptation  to  become  a  backward-looking 
man.  If  a  man's  life  is  shallow,  poor  and  helpless, 
people  do  not  care  about  the  day  and  hour  of  his 
conversion;  his  sensational  attempts  to  call  atten- 
tion to  it  only  drive  them  to  the  conclusion  that 
he  needs  to  be  converted  again  in  a  more  living 
fashion.  The  past  is  good  enough  to  learn  from, 
but  not  rich  enough  to  live  upon.  Our  salvation 
is  still  in  the  future,  our  golden  days  are  still  to 
come.  Paul's  present  message  is:  forget  past 
failures,  brooding  over  them  will  only  make  you 
weak.  Forget  past  sorrows,  remember  only  the 
abiding  blessings  from  all  the  gracious  discipline. 
Forget  past  blessings  in  the  faith  that  large  mercies 


CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION  207 

are  still  in  store.  Forget  past  successes  in  your 
determination  to  do  greater  things  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  This  forgetfulness  of  the  past  is  not  in 
the  spirit  of  cynical  unbelief  or  bitter  disappoint- 
ment ;  it  is  simply  the  grand  affirmation  of  faith 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  has  always  new  revela- 
tions for  the  seeking  soul. 

Paul  here  uses  the  familiar  figure  of  the  race. 
He  thinks  of  a  man  speeding  along  the  course  with 
his  eye  fixed  on  the  goal,  and  so  intent  upon 
winning  the  prize  that  he  has  neither  time  nor 
inclination  to  look  back.  The  trained  athlete 
straining  every  nerve,  putting  forth  all  his  powers 
for  a  definite  purpose — that  was  for  Paul  a  favourite 
picture  of  the  Christian  life.  This  does  not  mean 
an  easy  life,  but  one  that  is  strenuous  in  the  fullest 
sense.  Distinction  and  usefulness  are  not  gained 
by  idle  dreaming.  The  athlete  who  wishes  to 
maintain  his  place  must  continue  to  exercise  self- 
denial,  and  keep  all  his  bodily  powers  in  subjection. 
The  young  student  must  not  depend  on  sudden 
spurts,  or  pride  himself  on  past  rapid  attainments, 
but  must  constantly  study  the  subject  to  which 
he  will  devote  his  life.  In  the  same  way  the 
Christian  life  calls  for  daily  consecration  and  con- 
tinual service.  The  disciple  must  keep  his  eye 
fixed  upon  the  prize  of  the  heavenly  calling  and 
press  forward  with  unceasing  unswerving  efforts. 
We  sometimes  sigh  because  of  the  constant 
pressure,  and  wish  that  the  great  problems  of  life 
could  be  settled  by  one  definite  round  of  ceremonies, 
or  a  few  sensational  meetings,  but  our  sighs  cannot 
change    the    stern    reality.     Life    is    a    constant 


208  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

struggle,  each  new  day  bringing  new  problems,  and 
the  reward  of  living  faithfully  to-day  being  the 
power  to  brace  ourselves  manfully  for  the  new 
battles  of  to-morrow.  There  is  in  this  view  of  life 
a  hope  and  dignity  if  not  ease.  Our  life  may  be 
a  heavenly  calling  instead  of  a  sinful  slavery,  or 
earthly  drudgery.  It  has  its  goal  and  its  prize.  We 
need  not  beat  the  air  and  spend  our  strength  for 
naught.  The  prize  is  worth  fighting  for.  The 
struggle  of  life  is  its  own  reward.  Such  a  view  of 
life  hindered  Paul  from  being  content  with  any 
small  present  perfection.  He  therefore  invites 
those  who  have  attained  some  real  strength,  and 
are  tempted  to  regard  themselves  as  perfect,  to 
take  this  living  thought  of  life.  Let  them  think 
of  life  as  a  race  or  battle  which  calls  for  constant 
endeavour  until  its  final  hour.  In  the  presence  of 
God's  high  demands  an  important  point  of  per- 
fection is  to  know  our  imperfection;  the  man  who 
has  achieved  most,  is  the  man  who  feels  most  bit- 
terly the  insufficiency  of  his  attainments.  To  the 
"perfect  people"  Paul  says,  take  your  little  per- 
fection and  cast  it  behind  you,  and  press  forward 
into  a  larger  world  of  thought  and  life. 

Paul  teaches  us  further  to  distrust  the  per- 
fection which  separates  us  from  our  fellow  Chris- 
tians and  tempts  us  to  say,  "Stand  by,  I  am  holier 
than  thou."  When  men  would  introduce  a  new 
division  into  the  Church  distinguishing  between 
the  perfect  and  the  imperfect,  the  initiated  and 
uninitiated,  the  receivers  of  the  first  blessing  and 
the  possessors  of  the  "second  blessing,"  it  is  time 
to  point  out  that  such  divisions  are  superficial, 


CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION  209 

and  may  be  dangerous.  One  man  may  be  farther 
on  the  way  than  another,  but  this  difference  of 
degree  is  not  to  be  made  the  basis  for  setting  up 
different  castes  within  the  Church.  Seeing  that 
we  hope  in  the  same  God  our  Father,  the  same 
Jesus  our  Saviour  and  Teacher,  the  same  Holy 
Spirit  our  Comforter,  let  us  work  by  the  same  rule, 
let  us  mind  the  same  thing.  Many  a  lowly  soul 
that  has  never  dreamed  of  perfection  is  near  to 
God  in  purity  of  spirit  and  faithfulness  of  service. 
Some  who  have  reached  perfection  need  to  learn 
that  their  perfection  is  a  poor  empty  thing.  What 
we  all  need  is  more  of  the  life  of  heaven,  the  life 
that  brings  clearer  insight,  richer  love,  and  fuller 
strength.  Let  us  be  thankful  if  we  have  received 
great  blessing,  and  have  been  brought  in  peace 
through  many  stages  of  our  journey,  but  let  us 
rejoice  that  we  are  still  called  to  go  from  strength 
to  strength  till  we  appear  in  Zion  before  our  God. 


PAUL'S  SORROW  OVER  THE  PERVERSION 
OF  TRUTH  AND  THE  DEGRADATION  OF 
LIFE 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

PAUL'S    SORROW    OVER   THE    PERVERSION    OF 
TRUTH  AND  THE    DEGRADATION  OF  LIFE 

Phil.  Ill,  17-19- 

This  man  looked  the  most  terrible  facts  of  life 
full  in  the  face  and  yet  did  not  lose  heart;  as  we 
take  our  stand  at  his  point  of  view  we  see  the 
difficulty  and  danger  of  life.  Temptations  beset 
us  on  every  hand  in  the  sphere  of  thought  and  the 
domain  of  action.  We  are  in  danger  of  scepticism 
through  much  thinking,  of  narrowness  through 
zeal  for  religion,  and  of  looseness  in  our  search 
for  liberty.  There  is  still  another  danger,  that 
of  thinking  that  it  is  all  a  vain  struggle  and  that 
there  is  nothing  better  than  to  drift  aimlessly 
through  life's  uncertain  journey.  If  that  prac- 
tical scepticism  conquers  us  in  youth  it  will  lead 
us  into  ways  of  wickedness  and  misery;  if  we 
yield  to  it  in  later  life  it  will  make  us  cynical  and 
despairing.  This  despondency  begets  the  spiritual 
weakness  which  makes  one  a  coward  in  the  face 
of  life's  high  demands.  The  man  who  wrote 
these  tragic  words  had  surrendered  himself  to 
Jesus  Christ  with  such  stern  resolve  and  true 
devotion  that  he  welcomed  "the  strenuous  life" 
as  a  divinely  appointed  discipline  by  which  he 
was  to  reach  the  full  measure  of  Christian  man- 

213 


214  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

hood.  Paul  earned  the  right  to  criticise,  and 
acquired  the  power  to  counsel  by  facing  so  bravely 
in  the  spirit  of  faith  and  reverence,  the  hard  battle 
of  life.  Having  cast  aside  his  external  grounds 
of  boasting,  and  having  by  the  power  of  love  made 
clear  choice  of  Christ,  he  has  proved  the  capacity 
of  this  supreme  love  to  inspire  and  sustain.*  His 
zeal  and  fervour  are  shown  by  the  fact  that  he 
does  not  rest  in  the  past,  but  is  ever  reaching  forth 
to  larger  experience  and  richer  knowledge.  In 
this  spirit  he  can  say,  "Be  ye  imitators  together 
of  me."  This  exhortation  and  the  form  of  it  are 
quite  in  harmony  with  sincere  humility.  Humility 
is  not  blindness.  A  strong  man  must  see  clearly 
the  meaning  and  power  of  his  own  life.  Humility 
is  not  mock  modesty  angling  for  compliments. 
Humility  is  doing  all  our  own  work  in  the  spirit 
of  dependence  on  "Our  Father."  It  is  good  when 
a  man  can  say,  "Follow  my  example  in  so  far  as  it 
helps  you  to  a  fuller  following  of  Christ."  Such 
a  man  does  not  claim  to  have  a  monopoly  of 
Christian  life.  He  urges  the  disciples  to  pay  atten- 
tion to  those  who  are  typical  Christians,  those  who 
embody  in  lowly  lives  the  lofty  doctrine.  The 
cynic  finds  out  the  poorest  specimens,  the  dis- 
appointing "professors,"  and  gloats  with  malicious 
glee  over  them.  That  is  a  small  business.  Since 
there  is  so  much  that  is  sad  and  painful  that  we 
must  see,  let  us,  when  we  have  the  chance,  feast 
our  eyes  and  rejoice  our  hearts  with  a  noble  type 
of  Christian  manhood.  Let  us  review  the  noble 
company  of  Christian  believers  we  have  known, 
♦See  Chapter  XIX. 


PAUL'S  SORROW  215 

and  set  the  largeness  of  the  Church  against  any 
local  littleness  and  meanness. 

Paul  would  have  us  interpret  his  doctrine  by 
his  life.  Some  said  that  his  doctrine  was  loose  and 
dangerous,  but  his  life  was  the  best  answer  to  that 
slander.  He  did  not  ask  that  men  should  follow 
him  mechanically,  repeating  his  exact  words. 
Our  word  "mimicking,"  may  be  connected  with 
the  word  he  used,  but  that  low  kind  of  imitation 
was  not  the  thing  he  meant.  He  had  a  perfect 
right  to  claim  that  his  teaching  should  be  read  in 
the  light  of  his  conduct  and  that  if  men  would 
judge  his  life  they  must  take  the  spirit  and  the 
whole  of  it.  Those  who  possessed  the  same  pas- 
sionate love  for  Christ,  and  the  same  spirit  of 
self-denial  could  never  make  the  mistake  of 
confounding  Christian  liberty  with  pagan  loose- 
ness. 

No  man  felt  a  deeper  sorrow  over  those  who 
perverted    the    truth    and    degraded    themselves. 
When  thinking  of    those  who    were    strenuously 
striving  after  goodness  and  cheerfully  suffering  in 
the  cause  of  Christ,  he  was  compelled  to  face  the 
solemn  contrast  and  remember  those  who  were 
walking  the  downward  path.     If  there  were  any 
who  professed  to  find  an  excuse  in  his  teaching, 
that  made  his  sorrow  all  the  more  bitter.     He  had 
spoken  of  these  things  before,  he  must  speak  of 
them  now  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  tears  in  his 
soul.     He  was  not   a  maudlin  person,   a  profes- 
sional weeper,   or  a  feeble  despondent  creature, 
ready  for  tears  on  any  trifling  occasion.     He  was 
a   strong   all-round   man   of   rich    emotions    and 


2i6  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

varied  moods.  He  could  manifest  stern  indig- 
nation against  narrow  bigots,  but  when  he  thought 
of  men  who,  through  folly,  were  destroying  their 
own  lives,  he  was  stricken  at  the  heart,  and  words 
could  not  express  his  pain;  in  his  grief  and  pity 
he  was  crucified  with  Christ. 

Paul  must  continue  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
free  grace  and  the  power  of  the  inward  life,  and 
he  must  protest  against  misunderstanding,  but 
he  felt  that  there  was  a  kind  of  misunderstanding 
and  misinterpretation  that  called  for  tears  rather 
than  arguments,  and  that  in  such  a  case,  the  final 
word  was,  "If  our  God  is  hid,  it  is  to  them  who 
are  perishing,"  to  them  who  by  a  wicked  life  are 
destroying  any  spiritual  insight  they  may  have 
possessed.  We  can  have  Christian  liberty  only 
if  we  have  Christian  life.  From  Paul's  point  of 
view  it  could  never  be  the  highest  thing  to  live  by 
petty  rules  and  walk  by  the  detailed  discipline  of 
external  authority.  From  such  a  life  he  had  been 
delivered  by  the  power  of  love.  But  for  men  to 
talk  of  "enlightenment"  and  walk  in  darkness 
was  to  him  a  glaring  contradiction  and  inconsis- 
tency. To  be  an  "advanced  thinker,"  smiling 
contemptuously  at  the  scruples  of  "weak  breth- 
ren," and  yet  to  be  destitute  of  inward  power 
and  spiritual  constraint  was  a  shameful  condition. 
This  was  to  be  the  enemy  of  the  cross  of  Christ, 
to  sin  against  light  and  love.  The  cross  of  Christ 
means  hatred  of  sin  and  love  for  sinful  men,  right- 
eousness and  gentleness,  self-sacrifice  and  service. 
Those  who  pervert  the  meaning  of  the  Gospel 
message  are  justly  called  "enemies  of  the  cross  of 


PAUL'S  SORROW  217 

Christ. "  Paul  in  four  striking  phrases  writes  the 
character  and  fate  of  such  men  in  letters  of  fire. 

Their  end  is  destruction.  Destruction  does  not 
mean  literal  death  or  passing  to  mere  nothingness, 
but  rather  the  deterioration  of  men  who  are 
treading  a  downward  course  along  which  there  is 
no  hope  of  salvation,  because  they  have  quenched 
the  true  light  and  are  following  false  lights  which 
lead  astray.  The  present  life  seems  to  be  full  of 
attractions,  with  its  artificial  glamour  and  feverish 
excitement,  but  its  course  is  downward  towards 
death  and  hell.  "Perishing"  is  not  necessarily  a 
sudden  tragic  process,  but  may  be  slow  and  im- 
perceptible to  those  who  are  blinded  by  the  pass- 
ing shows  of  earth.  To  the  man  who,  in  spite  of 
misleading  appearances,  can  catch  the  hidden 
drift  of  things,  the  end  is  sure. 

For  they  have  degraded  life.  There  is  in  men 
the  possibility  of  the  angel  or  the  devil,  and  they 
have  deliberately  chosen  the  lower.  It  is  a  slander 
on  the  lowest  creatures  to  call  their  life  "brutish," 
for  the  brute  on  its  own  plane  lives  a  regular, 
natural  life;  but  the  wicked  man  breaks  through 
social  restraints,  and  despises  the  law  of  his  high- 
est being;  even  the  coarse,  stupid  man  who  has 
never  been  awakened  to  life's  high  possibilities 
is  not  so  vile  as  the  refined  sensualist  who  is  pol- 
ished on  the  surface  but  corrupt  within.  We  need 
not  attempt  detailed  pictures  of  the  filthiness 
hinted  at  in  this  strong  word;  the  less,  indeed,  we 
know  of  it,  and  the  more  we  shrink  from  it,  the 
better.  Paul  did  not  delight  in  such  language, 
it  was  extorted  from  him.     It  is  a  stern  rebuke 


218  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

to  those  who  have  allowed  sensuality  to  blind 
them  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
beauty  of  the  spiritual  life. 

They  glory  in  their  shame.  This  is  surely  the  deep- 
est depth  of  degradation.  If  the  case  is  not  utterly 
hopeless  it  will  at  least  demand  a  miracle  of  grace. 
The  degraded  man  who  is  tormented  by  con- 
science and  realizes  his  bankrupt  condition  may 
arise  and  turn  his  face  towards  his  Father's  home. 
There  is  hope  where  there  is  any  sense  of  shame  and 
need  of  repentance,  but  when  men  boast  of  evil  as 
good,  and  zealously  propagate  it,  then  they  must 
be  fought  down  even  fiercely  in  the  name  of  Christ. 
It  is  a  tremendous  tribute  to  the  healthful  life  of 
the  Christian  Church  that  it  has  the  power  to 
cast  out  such  moral  leprosy,  and  go  forth  into  a 
fuller  light  glorying  in  the  purity  and  gentleness 
of  Jesus. 

They  mind  earthly  things.  It  is  not  an  anti- 
climax. It  really  gives  in  sober  words  the  summing 
up  of  what  has  gone  before.  The  prophet  who 
has  had  the  vision  of  the  unseen,  eternal  kingdom, 
weeps  over  those  who  have  chosen  the  dust  as 
their  destiny.  The  dust  belongs  to  the  body  of 
our  humiliation,  but  in  this  case,  it  has  eaten  its 
way  into  the  soul.  Food  and  drink,  the  truths 
of  religion,  the  beauties  of  nature  and  art, — these 
are  to  be  to  the  spiritual-minded  man  forms  of  the 
Father's  gracious  bounty;  to  the  sensualist  they 
have  all  turned  to  dust  and  ashes.  This  is  the 
greatest  tragedy  of  all,  when  a  man,  who  might 
be  a  citizen  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  becomes 
completely  a  creature  of  the  dust. 


THE    HEAVENLY   CITIZENSHIP 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

THE   HEAVENLY  CITIZENSHIP 

(III.  20,  21) 

These  two  verses  are  rich  and  suggestive,  and 
stand  in  strong  contrast  to  the  words  that  have 
gone  before.  There  are  those  who  mind  earthly 
things,  but  our  citizenship  is  in  heaven.  Sternly 
and  tenderly  does  the  Apostle  speak  of  those  "who 
mind  earthly  things."  In  one  sense  we  must  all 
mind  earthly  things,  and  mind  them  very  much. 
He  would  not,  however,  condemn  the  thoughtful 
care  for  common  things;  he  is  thinking  of  those 
who  through  earthly  lusts  and  lawless  passions 
destroy  the  power  of  the  spirit,  and  reduce  the 
noblest  things  to  dust  and  ashes.  When  Paul 
thinks  of  those  who  have  chosen  such  a  ruinous 
course,  such  a  perishing  portion,  it  is  with  deep 
distress  of  soul  that  he  is  driven  by  the  sharp  con- 
trast to  say,  "But  our  citizenship  is  in  heaven." 
He  sees  the  strong  light  and  the  deep  shades  in  this 
picture  of  human  life,  the  precious  inheritance  of 
those  who  are  spiritually  minded  and  the  tragic 
fate  of  those  who  seek  in  perishing  things  that 
which  God  alone  can  give.  The  word  "conversa- 
tion" does  not,  in  its  present  narrow  sense,  express 
the  fulness  of  Paul's  meaning.  The  word  that 
he  uses  is  a  form  of  the  Greek  root  from  which  we 


222  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

derive  such  words  as  polity  and  politics  (cf.  i,  27). 
Hence,  the  reference  is  to  the  whole  spirit  and 
purpose  of  one's  life.  He  had  been  speaking  of 
those  who  were  in  the  lowest  and  saddest  sense 
citizens  of  the  earth;  those  whose  desires,  hopes, 
and  aspirations  were  completely  centered  on  the 
world's  enjoyments  and  prizes.  Perhaps  it  would 
be  a  misnomer  to  speak  of  them  as  "citizens"  at 
all,  for  the  man  who  lives  simply  for  selfish  gain 
and  personal  pleasure  is  not  a  member  of  any 
community.  As  opposed  to  them,  the  claim  is 
made  for  the  •  Christian  disciple  that  he  acts  as  a 
citizen  in  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  his  look 
is  upward  to  the  eternal  city  and  the  divine  King. 
At  that  time  there  were  many  who  claimed  to  be 
cosmopolitan,  that  is  citizens  of  the  world,  in  that 
they  possessed  a  culture,  and  believed  in  prin- 
ciples, that  were  not  bounded  by  the  limits  of  any 
city  or  nation.  Patriotism,  they  said,  is  good 
but  the  life  of  humanity  is  larger  than  any  local 
creed  or  national  policy.  There  was  truth  in  that, 
but  in  practice  it  was  often  shown  that  fine  senti- 
ment of  this  broad  kind  did  not  exert  much  power  in 
checking  caste  prejudice  and  national  narrowness. 
The  great  missionary  had  sympathy  with  anything 
that  broke  down  barriers  that  separated  men, 
but  he  sought  to  do  this  by  making  them  citizens 
of  heaven.  He  makes  for  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ  a  great  claim,  and  professes  in  their 
name  a  lofty  faith,  saying,  "We  are  citizens  of  a 
spiritual  kingdom  into  which  there  is  an  immediate 
entrance,  and  for  which  God  will  prepare  an 
abiding  city." 


THE  HEAVENLY  CITIZENSHIP       223 

In    those   days    the    sense    of    nationality   was 
strong;  but   patriotism  was   well   tinctured   with 
prejudice.     Jews,  Greeks,  and  Romans  had  each 
a  strong,  distinctive  life  that  had  been  formed  by 
centuries  of  struggle  and  discipline.     They  exalted 
their  own  special  gift,  and  looked  upon  outsiders  as 
barbarians.     Yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  they  influ- 
enced each  other,  and  abiding  forces  from  all  of  them 
have  come  down  and  helped  to  form  the  highest 
life  of  Christian  nations.     These  kingdoms,  though 
exclusive,  were  not  absolutely  closed  to  an  out- 
sider; a  man  might  become  a  Jew  in  religion,  a 
Greek  in  philosophy,  a  Roman  in  politics.     Men 
prized   highly   the   citizenship   of   these   different 
realms.     Paul  himself  enjoyed  something  of  the 
advantage  of  all  of  them.     His  presence  at  Rome 
appealing  to  Caesar's  tribunal  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
he  could  say,  "I  am  a  Roman  citizen."     Though 
not  deeply  versed  in  Greek  philosophy  he  used  the 
noble  language  which  had  been  its  medium,  and 
was  to   some   extent    affected    by   its   modes  of 
thought.     His    Christian    discipleship    had    made 
him  still  more  fully  the  heir  of  all  that  was  best 
in  Hebrew  religion;  he  had  served  it  in  the  letter 
with  legal  precision,  and  was  now  loyal  to  its  real 
spirit.     Paul  did  not  despise  that  which  was  really 
great  in   any   of   these   kingdoms,  he  knew  that 
through  each  of  them  God  had  given  a  contribution 
to  the  highest  life  of  the  world,  but  he  had  a  vision 
of  something  grander  and  more  universal  than  any 
of  them;  he  had  faith  in  the  spiritual  kingdom  of 
God   where   Jesus   is   Saviour   and    Lord.     Some 
denounce  this    faith   as   "  other- worldliness"  and 


224  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

condemn  it  as  a  mystical,  mischievous  fancy.  But 
Paul  the  idealist,  the  man  of  faith,  has  done  more 
even  for  this  world  than  many  "practical  politi- 
cians." We  are  shallow  and  short-sighted  when 
we  regard  faith  in  the  unseen  as  opposed  to  the 
highest  interests  of  the  present  life.  The  most 
useful  citizens  of  any  kingdom  are  those  who 
believe  in  a  kingdom  that  is  not  meat  or  drink 
but  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  man  who  is  a  citizen  of  heaven  will, 
in  proportion  to  the  reality  of  his  faith,  display 
the  qualities  of  honesty  and  righteousness  that 
are  needed  everywhere. 

LOOKING    FOR    THE    KING 

"From  whence  also  we  expect  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  Saviour,  who  shall  change  the  body  of 
our  humiliation,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto 
the  body  of  his  glory."  When  Paul  speaks  of  a 
commonwealth  he  naturally  thinks  of  the  King; 
the  kingdom  to  him  is  not  an  abstract  concep- 
tion, it  is  the  realm  in  which  Jesus  Christ  exer- 
cises sway.  The  thought  however  that  he  here 
emphasizes  is  that  the  rightful  King  is  also  the 
Saviour  who  acquires  the  right  to  rule  the  soul 
through  the  new  life  that  He  has  quickened. 
Loyalty  must  be  rooted  in  love,  love  must  be  kept 
pure  by  reverence.  Salvation  is  the  growth  of 
new  manhood  under  the  inspiration  of  loyalty  to 
the  king.  This  fits  a  man  for  citizenship  in  the 
new  kingdom. 

Salvation  is  both  present  and  future;  we  have 
a  Saviour  and  we  wait  for  the  Saviour.     No  one 


THE  HEAVENLY  CITIZENSHIP       225 

was  less  disposed  for  idle  waiting  than  Paul;  he 
would  not  reduce  religion  to  a  memory  of  the  past, 
or  a  fancy  for  the  future;  but  the  fact  that  it  is 
a  present  experience  does  not  exhaust  its  meaning. 
He  is  constantly  laying  stress  on  the  future  sig- 
nificance of  salvation,  a  future  growing  out  of  the 
present  as  its  completion  and  crown.     (1,6). 

The  contrast  between  present  and  future  sug- 
gests    another    striking    contrast.     Though    our 
citizenship  is  in  heaven,  we  must  still  pursue  the 
life  of  lowliness  and  limitation  on  earth.     There 
are  many  difficulties  connected  with  this  subject 
which    we    cannot    completely    settle,    but    lying 
behind  the  Apostle's  statement  there  are  great 
truths    which    we     may     appropriate.     (1)     The 
Christian  religion  comes  to  redeem  the  whole  man. 
The  more  our  knowledge  grows,  the  more  do  we 
realize  the  close  relationship  of  body  and  soul; 
the  redeemed  life  will  surely  prove  and  illustrate 
more  fully  this  great  truth.     (2)     "Vile    body" 
is   an  unfortunate  translation;  the  body  is  not 
necessarily  vile,  it  can  only  be  rightly  so-called 
when  it  is  the  victim  of  perversion  or  degradation. 
It  is  the  "human  form  divine,"  wonderful,  con- 
sidered as  a  machine;  still  more  marvellous  as  the 
companion  and  servant  of    the  spirit,  capable  of 
expressing  the  noblest  beauty.     (3)-     It  is  "the 
body  of  our  humiliation."     It  limits  and  hinders 
us.     Weak  men  are  enslaved  by  bodily  appetites. 
Good  men  are  checked  and  thwarted  by  its  feeble- 
ness.    Paul  himself  shows  how  largely  faith  can 
even  now  triumph  over  such  weakness,  and  make 
the  frail  body  an  instrument  of  high  purposes. 


226  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

(4),  Hence  it  has  a  high  destiny.  The  Christian 
disciple  must  become  in  all  things  like  his  Lord. 
The  body  must  be  transformed  by  spiritual  in- 
fluences, so  as  to  be  conformed  to  the  body  of  his 
glory  according  to  the  working  of  that  power  by 
which  he  can  subdue  all  things  to  himself. 

What  a  noble  tribute  to  the  power  of  Christ! 
He  saves  His  disciples  from  the  coarse  attractions 
of  the  earth.  He  enfranchises  them,  making 
them  citizens  of  the  Kingdom  of  grace  and  glory. 
He  will  transform  their  whole  nature,  bringing 
every  faculty  into  harmony  with  new  conditions 
and  higher  society.  If  we  have  such  faith  in 
Jesus,  it  will  uplift  our  whole  life  and  make  every 
sphere  of  our  activity  pure  and  sacred. 


THE    CALL    TO    UNION  AND    MUTUAL 
HELPFULNESS 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE  CALL  TO  CHRISTIAN   STEADFASTNESS 
(IV.  i) 

This  exuberance  of  expression  is  not  common 
with  Paul,  we  do  not  find  it,  to  the  same  extent, 
in  any  other  epistle  and  yet,  under  the  circum- 
stances, it  seems  to  be  quite  in  accord  with  what 
we  know  concerning  a  man  who  was  rich  in  emo- 
tional endowment  as  in  intellectual  equipment. 
This  "beloved,"  occurring  twice  in  one  verse,  and 
the  striking  word  "longed  for"  are  not  common 
courtesies  or  conventional  forms  of  politeness, 
but  the  strong  words  of  a  strong  man  who  meant 
all  that  he  said;  such  words  would  only  be  used 
to  express  the  most  tender  affection  and  intense 
desire.  We  are  often  compelled  to  admire  in 
these  writings  the  splendid  combination  of  intel- 
lectual breadth  with  deep  feeling  and  practical 
wisdom. 

His  logic  always  leaps  into  life,  his  exhortation 
gains  weight  and  force  from  the  magnificent  pre- 
sentation of  truth  that  lies  behind  it  (cf.  Rom. 
XII,  I  Cor.  XV.  5,  8).  "Wherefore,"  "so  that," 
connects  the  tender  exhortation  with  the  passionate 
polemic  and  lofty  teaching  that  has  gone  before; 
this  is  logic,  but  logic  throbbing  with  the  pulse  of 
life,  and  warmed  by  the  fire  of  love.     Here  head 

229 


230  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

and  heart  are  not  at  war;  piety  receives  its  true 
enlightenment,  and  reason  its  real,  persuasive 
power.  The  call  to  steadfastness  is  not  a  new 
thing;  it  is  a  constant  need  that  will  bear  repeated 
appeal  and  varied  illustration.  The  classic  passage 
on  this  subject  is  a  parable  of  real  beauty  and 
undying  power,  which  has  steadied  many  a  waver- 
ing soldier,  and  helped  him  to  turn  defeat  into 
victory  (Eph.  VI,  13-17).  Paul  knew  well  enough 
the  downward  pull  and  the  backward  strain;  he 
never  for  one  moment  suggests  that  the  Christian 
life  is  an  easy  experience,  all  his  illustrations  speak 
of  steady  toil,  severe  conflict  and  unceasing  move- 
ment. Hence  "stand  fast"  does  not  simply  mean, 
maintain  your  present  position :  it  may  express  the 
thought  of  resistance,  to  stand  so  as  not  to  fall, 
stand  so  as  not  to  be  driven  back.  But  the  position 
held  must  be  made  a  stepping  stone  to  something 
higher;  when  the  severe  strain  slackens,  we  march 
forward  towards  the  goal  that  is  kept  continually 
in  view.  We  may  regard  this  Christian  stead- 
fastness, then,  as  the  disciple's  constant  and  the 
teacher's  supreme  satisfaction. 

THE    DISCIPLE'S    NEED 

Of  these  disciples  of  the  new  faith  it  was  true  that 
they  needed  to  listen  devoutly  and  intelligently 
to  this  call  to  "stand  fast  in  the  Lord,"  to  remain 
close  to  Jesus,  to  continue  in  communion  with 
Him.  The  healthy  body  breathing  a  pure  air  has 
great  power  of  resistance;  it  is  constantly  throw- 
ing off  impurities  and  resisting  insidious  attacks. 
Thus    the  faithful  disciple,  moving  in  the  atmos- 


CHRISTIAN  STEADFASTNESS         231 

phere  that  Jesus  creates  around  the  soul,  has 
power  to  resist  the  forces  that  make  for  the  lower 
standard  of  life.  Standing  then  in  this  sense 
means  living.  The  phrase  "in  the  Lord,"  Paul's 
own  peculiar  form  of  speech,  gives  meaning  and 
hope  to  the  exhortation.  Nothing  but  this  living 
personal  influence  could  strengthen  men  to  resist 
the  force  of  old  habits,  the  customs  of  an  alien 
society,  the  sharp  criticism  and  fierce  persecution 
of  bitter  opponents. 

We  are  all  inclined,  at  times,  to  cherish  a  long- 
ing for  an  easier  way,  to  float  with  the  tide,  to 
yield  to  the  subtle  influence  of  the  common  atmos- 
phere, to  bow  to  the  power  of  the  past.  The 
strenuous  movement,  the  unresting  energy  of 
a  man  like  Paul,  startles  the  ordinary  man  into 
almost  hopeless  admiration  and  surprise.  With 
him  "the  expulsive  power  of  a  new  affection" 
seems  to  be  so  real  and  vehement  that  the  tempta- 
tions to  sensuous  pleasure,  or  religious  routine 
seem  to  be  left  far  behind.  He  was  torn  by  an 
over-mastering  vision,  a  revolutionary  revelation 
from  the  "beggarly  elements"  that  had  enthralled, 
but  never  satisfied  his  soul.  But  he  knew  all 
that  the  struggle  of  life  meant  for  the  disciples, 
and  he  yearned  over  them  with  a  father's  thought- 
ful, tender  care.  Hence  he  says,  "  Be  true  to  your 
principles,  loyal  to  your  Lord,  cultivate  your 
peculiar  positive  life." 

The  seductions  of  worldly  pleasure  were  as  real 
then  as  now,  the  false  glitter  and  bewitching 
allurement  seemed  sometimes  well  suited  to  dis- 
tract   the    jaded    mind.     "The    earthly    things" 


233  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

assumed  a  form  behind  which  the  coarseness  and 
corruptness  was  hidden.  To  be  peculiar,  to 
despise  things  that  won  the  applause  and  approval 
of  the  crowd,— this  called  for  clear  conviction  and 
strength  of  character.  The  heavenly  citizenship, 
beautiful  as  an  ideal,  was  a  thing  requiring  delicate 
discrimination  and  resolute  determination  in 
daily  life.  It  would  be  a  poor  thing  to  call  upon 
weak  untrained  men  to  play  the  heroic  part 
unless  they  could  be  brought  to  see  that  "in  the 
Lord"  there  was  a  rich  power  that  would  hold, 
inspire,  and  satisfy  them,  when  once  they  made 
the  venture  of  faith. 

Outworn  systems  may  have  their  day  and  cease 
to  be,  but  they  are  not  dethroned  without  a  struggle. 
Great  systems  that  have  been  deeply  rooted,  and 
for  which  men  have  given  their  lives,  do  not  easily 
lose  their  place  or  pass  away.  The  dogmas  they 
have  created  and  the  institutions  they  have  built 
possess  great  power  by  their  very  deflniteness  and 
visibility.  The  new  higher  life  seems  sometimes 
so  thin,  hazy,  and  unreal.  The  ideas,  which, 
when  once  they  are  firmly  held,  show  power  to 
change  society  and  to  turn  into  new  channels  the 
currents  of  the  world's  life,  are  at  first  far-off 
visions  of  glory  to  men  just  rescued  from  the 
doomed  religions  and  dying  creeds.  The  first 
need  is  to  continue  steadfast  in  the  Lord,  to  recog- 
nize in  darkest  days  and  testing  times  that  in  Jesus 
all  that  was  true  and  eternal  in  the  old  is  lifted  up 
to  larger  forms  and  filled  with  a  new  radiant  life. 


CHRISTIAN  STEADFASTNESS         233 

THE    TEACHER'S    SUPREME    SATISFACTION 

What  could  be  a  nobler  task  for  any  teacher 
than  to  lead  men  thus  from  trembling  childhood 
to  strong  manhood?  The  teacher  sees  the  dis- 
ciples in  an  ideal  light,  as  the  enthusiastic  gardener 
sees  the  perfect  flower  in  the  struggling  plant. 
There  is  no  effective  teaching  without  this  living 
interest  in  men.  Paul's  "joy  and  crown"  was  not 
in  prizes  gained  on  account  of  his  learning,  not 
in  splendid  churches  built,  not  in  brilliant  sermons 
published,  but  in  men  and  women  scattered 
throughout  the  world  who  had  been  brought  from 
heathen  darkness  to  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel. 
In  quiet  days  we  are  in  danger  of  finding  our 
supreme  interest  in  ideas,  schemes  of  thought, 
systems  of  theology  rather  than  in  men  and 
women  who  are  fighting  the  everlasting  battle 
against  scepticism,  materialism,  and  conventional 
routine.  It  is  a  sign  of  true  greatness  to  find  one's 
joys  outside  of  the  narrow  circle  of  self  in  the  life 
of  common,  apparently  uninteresting  people.  It 
is  possible  to  utter  great  swelling  words  about 
"the  service  of  humanity"  and  yet  to  be  destitute 
of  this  quick  tender  sympathy.  It  is  a  proof  of  a 
noble  nature  to  contend  for  a  worthy  crown,  an 
unfading  wreath.  This  is  the  crown  of  the  victor, 
not  the  diadem  of  the  king.  On  His  head  are  many 
crowns,  but  to  each  faithful  follower,  each  true 
teacher  there  is  given  an  appropriate  crown.  God 
grants  us  grace  to  choose  and  make  our  own  crown. 
Because  these  disciples  are  Paul's  joy  and  crown 
they  will  be  such;  the  love  that  sees,  the  vision 
helps  to  make  it  real  (John  I,  42).     This  brooding 


234  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

love  is  prophetic  and  creative.  Words,  which, 
when  unreal,  form  the  most  repellent  kind  of  cant 
are,  when  fresh  and  living,  full  of  encouragement 
and  inspiration.  How  many  drift  away  towards 
feebleness  and  failure  because  they  have  no  assur- 
ance that  to  some  one  they  are  "beloved."  God 
seems  to  be  silent  and  they  cry,  "No  man  cares  for 
my  soul."  It  is  Paul's  joy  and  crown  that  he 
helped  men  to  cherish  a  lofty  thought  of  God,  that 
he  brought  near  to  them  the  tenderness  of  the 
Christ,  that  he  made  the  Cross  stand  for  all  that  is 
true  and  worth  striving  for;  and  in  doing  this  he 
helped  forward  the  higher  life  of  the  world.  He 
has  taught  us  that  through  the  lowly  service  we 
advance  the  kingdom  of  truth  more  than  by  large 
pretentious  claims.  The  epistles  remain,  and  we 
find  the  key  to  their  deepest  meaning  in  our  effort 
to  come  into  touch  with  the  lives  of  simple  people 
who,  like  ourselves,  have  suffered  pain,  shed  tears, 
and  poured  out  prayers  as  they  struggled  amid 
sordid  surroundings  to  respond  to  the  quickening 
bracing  call,  "Be  steadfast  in  the  Lord." 


THE   CALL   TO    CHRISTIAN 
STEADFASTNESS 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  CALL  TO  UNION  AND  MUTUAL 
HELPFULNESS 

(IV,  2,  4) 

Here  are  the  names  of  three  persons— perhaps 
of  four— as  some  read  Synzygus  instead  of  yoke- 
fellow, and   all  we  know   of  them  is   that  they 
were   Christian   disciples   at    Philippi   more   than 
eighteen  centuries  ago.     The  attempt  to  turn  all 
these   names   into    symbols   comes   from   fanciful 
allegorizing  which  dissolves  history  into  thin  air. 
We   are   convinced   that   these   names   stand   for 
actual  men  and  women  who  trod  the  solid  earth, 
and  knew  the  real  experience  of  life,  both  of  its 
lofty  aims  and  its  petty  misunderstandings.     They 
were  once  very  much  alive  on  this  earthly  scene, 
and  as  they  looked  with  changeful  feelings  out 
upon  the  world's  battle-field,  they  cherished  high 
hopes  in  the  name  of  Christ;  and  yet,  they  were 
in  danger  from  the  smallness  of  personal  feeling, 
and  the  spirit  of  faction.     As  we  know  so  little 
about  the  details  of  the  outside  life  of  these  people, 
speculation  has  been  busy,  but  it  is  baseless  and 
profitless.     Much  more  helpful  is  it  to  dwell  upon 
what  we  do   know.     When  we  know  that  they 
were  real  disciples,  helping  to  build  up  a  new  com- 
munity and  finding  difficulty  in  reconciling  con- 

237 


233  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

flicting  claims  and  opposing  feelings,  we  know 
something  that  brings  them  nearer  to  ourselves. 
We  see  a  growing  life  contending  with  the  usual 
hostile  conditions;  we  learn  that  those  churches  in 
the  early  days  were  not  perfect  in  their  social  life, 
and  because  things  did  not  run  along  smoothly  of 
themselves,  the  highest  harmony  was  not  reached 
without  some  one's  self-sacrifice  and  silent  pain. 
If  we  will  think  carefully  upon  what  life  really 
meant  for  such  people,  rescued  from  false  debased 
forms  of  religion,  fired  with  new  enthusiasm  and 
called  upon  to  construct  a  new  society  upon 
a  purely  spiritual  basis,  then  even  these  obscure 
names  will  possess  a  living  interest.  Standing 
there  in  their  apparent  obscurity,  they  will  yield 
fruitful  suggestions  without  the  help  of  uncertain 
traditions. 

THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    COMMON    PEOPLE 

The  saying  that  the  history  of  the  world  is  the 
story  of  the  lives  of  the  great  men  is  only  a  half- 
truth.  The  story  of  such  lives  has  to  be  taken 
to  mean  the  picture  of  the  whole  period,  including 
the  careers  of  those  who  helped  them,  and  were 
influenced  by  them.  The  great  men  in  this  sense 
are  the  men  who  have  a  genius  for  generalship, 
who  can  see  a  value  and  power  in  all  kinds  of  men. 
Paul  mentions  a  few  who  were  probably  bearing 
a  large  burden  in  that  particular  congregation, 
but  there  were  other  "faithful  labourers"  whose 
names,  if  unrecorded,  are  written  in  the  book  of 
life.     No  prophet  could  have  done  a  great  work 


THE  CALL  TO  UNION  239 

had  he  stood  absolutely  alone;  in  the  darkest 
hours  God  appointed  some  lowly  companions, 
some  sympathetic  souls.  In  the  few  who  gath- 
ered round  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  critical  eye 
would  have  seen  only  "common  people,"  but 
when  they  had  been  the  subjects  of  patient  teach- 
ing and  loving  care,  they  exercised  an  uncommon 
influence.  Cromwell  and  Napoleon  could  not 
have  wielded  such  tremendous  power  if  there  had 
not  been  millions  of  "common  people"  capable  of 
sharing  their  aims  and  ambitions,  their  loves  and 
hatreds.  According  to  some,  Paul  wrote  many 
wonderful  letters,  and  so  moulded  the  life  of  the 
Church  that  he  has  been  credited  with  "making 
Christianity."  According  to  others  he  wrote  no 
letters,  but  simply  travelled  and  preached,  and 
many  followers  gave  their  lives  to  promote  the 
movement  he  had  started,  and  sheltered  their 
noblest  thoughts  under  his  great  name.  In  any 
case,  he  could  only  have  accomplished  his  great 
work  by  acting  through  a  living  medium,  that 
medium  being  the  many  men  and  women  who 
felt  that  the  life  he  preached  was  a  real  life  in 
which  they  could  share,  and  from  which  they  drew 
new  energy.  His  own  account  was  that  he  was 
a  herald  or  ambassador  of  the  king.  His  power 
came  from  the  living  Christ  who  stood  behind 
him;  his  influence  was  carried  forward  by  those 
to  whom  his  message  commended  itself  in  the 
sight  of  God.  These  people  Paul  now  calls  to  the 
highest  life,  namely,  to  put  away  their  differ- 
ences   and    work    in    harmony    for    the    common 


240  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

cause.  This  is  one  of  the  great  problems  to  be 
solved  by  Christian  faith  and  love,  to  banish 
petty  jealousies  and  call  forth  the  exercise  of 
kindly  consideration.  To  be  at  peace,  and  to 
exercise  the  office  of  a  peace-maker — this  requires 
patience  and  tact.  To  deepen  differences  and 
create  factions  is  an  easy  thing.  To  do  good 
work  alone  and  in  one's  own  way  is  not  the  most 
difficult  matter;  to  stand  outside  and  allow  others 
to  do  the  work  may  be  both  selfish  and  easy;  but 
to  conquer  personal  feeling  and  place  in  the  back- 
ground our  own  preferences  for  the  sake  of  the 
common  cause  is  the  highest  achievement. 

THE    MINISTRY    OF    WOMEN 

To  a  few  women  Paul  preached  when  he  first 
came  to  Philippi,  and  the  gentle  winning  power 
of  the  Gospel  touched  their  hearts.  The  influence 
of  women  is  always  powerful  in  the  lowly  home  or 
in  the  palace,  in  the  place  of  worship  and  service, 
or  in  the  haunts  of  pleasure  and  shame.  Woman 
owes  much  to  the  power  of  the  Christian  religion, 
and  nobly  has  she  sought  to  pay  the  debt.  In 
spite  of  sarcasm  and  sneers,  we  rejoice  in  the 
motherly  and  sisterly  influence  that  has  been  one  of 
the  real  forces  of  the  Christian  Church.  "These 
women"  had  noble  forerunners  and  have  been 
followed  by  an  unbroken  succession  of  faithful 
workers.  They  have  sympathized  with  the  lead- 
ers and  teachers  of  the  new  community ;  they  have 
ministered  to  the  needy  and  wretched  around  them. 
The  position  of  a  woman  in  society  may  vary,  but 


THE  CALL  TO  UNION  241 

the  womanly  nature  is  always  the  same  and  finds 
its  sweetest  satisfaction  in  modest  service  and  in- 
direct ministry. 

Some  features  in  the  teaching  of  Paul  with 
regard  to  woman  find  their  explanation  in  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  his  time.  His  great 
doctrine  that  in  Jesus  there  is  neither  man  nor 
woman  but  a  new  creature,  has  a  meaning  for  all 
time.  It  is  a  doctrine  of  liberty  not  of  license,  a 
doctrine  of  liberty  through  obedience  to  the  high- 
est, holiest  laws.  New  forms  of  activity  may 
open  up  before  the  life  of  woman  but  she  must 
find  her  highest  joy  in  service.  Her  influence 
cannot  be  measured  by  the  possession  of  political 
or  public  position.  In  most  cases  she  exercises 
the  unseen  power  which  is  gentle  in  nature,  but 
high  in  quality.  When  we  see  that  woman  is  capa- 
ble of  such  intense  self-surrender  in  common 
forms  of  life,  we  need  not  wonder  that  she  is  so 
eager  in  the  search  for  the  divine  life,  so  quick  to 
see  the  hidden  mysteries,'  and  capable  of  such  un- 
swerving loyalty  to  Christ  and  His  cause.  In 
training  children,  in  stimulating  men,  in  removing 
misery  and  soothing  sorrow,  her  sacred  powers 
have  preserved  their  peculiar  sovereignty.  In 
loyalty  through  dark  days  and  perseverance 
through  persecution,  they  have  shown  how  tender- 
ness and  strength  may  be  beautifully  blended. 
To  lose  her  life  and  find  it  in  another's  success 
and  joy  is  the  woman's  noblest  satisfaction.  She 
finds  the  lesson  of  the  cross  written  upon  her  own 
heart,   and   when,   instead   of    despising  it    as   a 


242  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

curse  in  the  spirit  of  wild  rebellion,  she  receives  it 
as  the  God-given  message,  it  lights  the  path  of 
sorrow  which  leads  to  glory. 

THE    ABIDING    RECORD 

The  men  and  women  who  are  nameless  and  live 
in  quiet  corners  are  not  forgotten  and  do  not 
spend  their  lives  in  vain.  The  noblest  literature, 
and  the  most  helpful  institutions  have  received 
rich  contributions  from  many  whose  names  are 
not  recorded  in  any  history  of  the  nation,  or 
calendar  of  the  Church.  But  there  is  a  "book  of 
life"  that  treasures  up  the  story  of  true  heroism 
and  faithful  service.  This  is  not  some  small  local 
chronicle  but  the  larger  book  of  humanity.  How 
many  we  have  known  who  were  strangers  to  pub- 
licity and  fame,  who  showed  patience  in  affliction, 
firmness  in  temptations,  and  sweetness  in  spite  of 
disappointment!  They  helped  us  to  believe  in 
goodness,  and  caused  us  to  feel  the  nearness  of 
Christ;  and  we  know  that  their  names  are  in  the 
"book  of  life.  "  This  is  the  book  of  the  life  of  God; 
the  volume  that  shows  how  the  eternal  love  is 
ever  repeating  in  lowly  forms  its  wondrous  story; 
not  a  completed  and  canonised  Bible  of  the  distant 
past,  but  the  mysterious  scroll  which  records  the 
story  of  all  true  faithful  lives.  When  we  are 
weary  of  the  world's  small  standards  and  fretted 
by  foolish  judgments,  we  find  new  courage  in 
the  thought  that  all  true  workers  are  enrolled  in 
"the  book  of  life." 


WORSHIP   AND    LIFE 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

WORSHIP  AND  LIFE 

(IV,  4-7) 

This  passage  is  both  an  exhortation  and  a  bene- 
diction; it  shows  Paul's  desire  for  his  disciples, 
and  so  suggests  their  duty.  The  apostle  always 
brings  his  lofty  teaching  to  bear  upon  the  common 
life.  He  works  from  the  nature  of  the  Christ  to 
the  character  of  the  Christian  man,  and  from  the 
inner  life  of  the  believing  man  to  his  outward 
conduct.  The  life  of  the  true  disciple  is  not,  in 
this  view,  the  result  of  mere  external  drill  but  the 
outcome  of  a  divine  energy  which  stirs  the  soul 
to  its  depths. 

It  may  seem  at  first  sight  to  be  surprising  that 
we  are  exhorted  to  be  joyful.  We  must  however 
note  the  form  of  the  sentence  "Rejoice  in  the 
Lord  always,  and  again  I  say  unto  you,  Rejoice." 
This  qualification  to  rejoice  in  communion  with 
the  Lord  gives  the  command  its  distinctive  char- 
acter. To  men  who,  in  addition  to  common  cares 
and  temptations,  had  to  face  fierce  controversy 
and  sharp  persecution,  Paul  gives  the  command 
to  rejoice. 

To  him  this  meant   simply;  be  true    to   your 
Christian  life,  allow  it  to  manifest  its  real  nature 
and  fulness  of  power;  in  more  than  one  passage  of 
24S 


246  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

his  writings  it  is  evident  that  joy  is  only  another 
name  for  life  (TI,  Cor.  i,  24).  He  did  not  regard 
religion  as  a  slavish  routine  or  as  a  melancholy 
brooding  over  sin  and  weakness.  This  life  has  a 
variety  of  moods  and  activities,  public  or  private, 
social  or  solitary,  but  there  must  be  a  pulse  of  joy, 
a  thrill  of  enthusiasm  running  through  it  all. 
The  man  who  preaches  to  us  this  doctrine  had 
more  than  his  share  of  physical  pain  and  mental 
perplexity,  but  for  him  this  is  the  key-note  of  the 
Christian  life,  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,  and 
again  I  say,  Rejoice. "  It  is  the  word  of  faith,  and 
means  that  under  difficult  circumstances,  and  in 
spite  of  hard  times  and  conditions,  the  reverent 
man  can  possess  a  deep  peace. 

SWEET    REASONABLENESS 

Note  the  temper  of  this  life,  "Let  your  modera- 
tion be  known  unto  all  men.  "  This  word  modera- 
tion may  be  misleading,  it  may  send  our  thoughts 
off  in  a  wrong  direction.  It  furnishes  another 
illustration  of  the  fact  that  a  great  thought  is 
difficult  to  carry  over  from  one  language  to 
another.  It  does  not  refer  to  eating  and  drinking, 
there  is  no  direct  allusion  to  pleasures  or  indul- 
gences, but  rather  to  the  spirit  in  which  the  Chris- 
tian man  moves  about  among  his  fellows.  It 
means  that  which  is  suitable,  fair,  and  equitable, 
kindness  rather  than  justice,  loyalty  rather  than 
legality.  In  one  place  it  is  translated  gentleness. 
(II,  Cor.  X,  1,  Acts  XXIV,  4)  From  this  it  is 
clear  that  the  point  insisted  upon  is  not  so  much 


WORSHIP  AND  LIFE  H7 

moderation  in  dealing  with  things  as  a  "sweet 
reasonableness"  in  our  intercourse  with  persons. 
We  are  inclined  to  demand  all  our  dues  of  differ- 
ence  and   courtesy   while   we   forget   that   which 
others  desire  or  deserve.     Some  go  upon  the  very 
poor  principle   of   drawing   all   they   can   out   of 
society,  and  contributing  as  little  as  possible.     Is 
it  right  for  men  to  treat  the  Church  m  this  way, 
and  then  wonder   that   they  receive  so  little  in- 
spiration and  light?     The  joy  of  Christ  will  cause 
a  man  to  manifest  a  generous  give-and-take  mh s 
commerce  with  society.     Real  faith  m  God  begets 
reverence  and  kindness  towards  men. 

"the  lord  is  at  hand" 
There  can  be  no  more  appropriate  watch-word 
for  such  a  life  than  the  short  sentence,  "The  Lord 
is  at  hand."     This  may  have  suggested  to  his 
disciples  the  thought  that  the  Christ  would  soon 
come  to  judgment,  and  it  was  possible  for  some 
to  hold  that  view  in  a  way  that  disturbed  their 
life,  instead  of  giving  to  it  real  stability.     But 
the  essence  of  the  statement  is  that  He  is  near 
and  not  afar  off.     If  our  faith  really  grasps  this 
truth  it  will  give  us  strength  and  steadfastness. 
We  are  not  simply  dealing  with  men;  through  our 
treatment  of  them  we  touch  the  throne  of  God 
Jesus  takes  an  interest  in  our  life,  and  has  a  share 
in  all  its  affairs.     We  wish  to  be  kind  and  just  m 
relation  to  Him;  let  us  remember,  then,  that  He 
constantly  calls  us  to  Christian  charity  and  cour- 
tesy     This  has  another  side;  if  the  Lord  is  at 


248  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

hand,  we  have  protection  against  unjust  criticism 
and  unfair  treatment;  through  this  conviction 
these  humble  men  were  inspired  to  live  heroic 
lives. 

THE    CONQUEST    OF    CARE 

"Be  not  anxious  at  all,  do  not  give  away  to 
fretfulness,  be  not  distracted  and  worried  by  the 
cares  of  life."  This  reminds  us  of  our  Lord's 
counsel,  "Be  not  therefore  anxious  for  the  mor- 
row." This  is  not  a  call  to  carelessness  but  to 
reverent,  thoughtful  trust.  The  careless  man  is 
most  likely  to  fall  a  victim  to  the  fretting  care 
which  weakens  us  more  than  work,  shattering  the 
nerves,  distracting  the  mind,  and  leading  to  hope- 
less despondency.  The  small  irritating  cares  wear 
the  spirit  more  than  high  duties  and  heroic  tasks. 
We  brace  ourselves  for  great  efforts,  seeking  the 
blessing  of  God  and  the  sympathy  of  men,  and 
then  in  the  hour  of  re-action  we  allow  trifles  to 
unnerve  us.  (I  Kings  xviii,  xix.)  This  mood  of 
weakness  is  a  form  of  scepticism,  a  kind  of  prac- 
tical unbelief  which  fails  to  realize  that  the  Lord 
is  always  at  hand.  Nothing  can  conquer  this 
corroding  care  except  living  faith  in  a  present 
God.  It  is  the  highest  exercise  of  faith  to  believe 
that  God  is  near,  taking  charge  of  our  life  in  its 
ordinary  hours.  We  cannot  avoid  care,  but  we 
may  meet  it  and  conquer  it  by  casting  our  care  on 
the  living  God.  God  who  guides  the  world  and 
protects  the  Church  will  cherish  and  comfort  the 
trustful  soul. 


WORSHIP  AND  LIFE  *49 

THE    INSPIRATION    OF    WORSHIP 

Paul     never    content   with   a   merely   negative 
statement    always    passes    over    to    the    positive 
power  of  the  Christian  life   (Ephesians  IV,    26). 
Care  cannot  be  driven  away  by  a  mere  command 
but  true  worship   can  lift   a  man  into   a  higher 
region  from  which  he  can  return  with  renewed 
calmness  and  strength.    Those  who  know  the  joy  of 
of  worship  and  sweetness  of  God's  service  wonder 
how  men  can  bear  the  sorrows  of  this  life  without 
such  sustenance.     Worship  is  a  power  for  every 
day    but  it  is  also  a  great  rest  and  refreshment 
one  day  in  seven  to  shake  off  the  common  dust 
and  breathe  a  purer  atmosphere. 

This  means  communion  with  God  and  through 
this  communion  a  higher  fellowship  with  our  fe- 
low-men.  Nothing  is  more  comely  than  this 
acknowledgment  of  our  Creator  and  Redeemer 
which  takes  us  out  of  the  narrow  world  of  self  into 
the  large,  free,  eternal  spaces.  Without  this  our 
life  is  empty,  and  its  outlook  very  narrow  To 
this  inspiration  the  great  promise  is  given,  They 
that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength 

Here  thanksgiving  plays  a  noble  part.  All 
true  thanksgiving  has  the  note  of  joy  in  it.  lo 
express  our  thanksgiving  sincerely  is  to  make  it 
more  real.  The  man,  who  in  spite  of  cares,  sees 
many  causes  for  thankfulness  will  through  such 
insight  gam  a  nobler  strength.  Another  element 
in  their  worship  is  prayer  in  the  strictest  sense 
We  are  to  make  our  requests  known  to  God  with 
thanksgiving,  believing   that    He    can    hear    and 


250  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

answer  prayer.  Even  if  our  prayers  have  imper- 
fection clinging  to  them,  it  is  better  to  have 
imperfect  prayers  than  a  prayerless  life. 

"  For  what  are  men  better  than  sheep  or  goats, 
That  nourish  a  blind  life  within  the  brain, 
If  knowing  God,  they  lift  not  hands  of  prayer, 
Both  for  themselves  and  those  who  call  them  friend  ? 
For  so  the  whole  round  earth  is  every  way 
Bound  by  gold  chains  about  the  feet  of  God." 

It  is  good  to  join  in  common  prayer,  good  also 
to  bring  our  personal  sacrifice.  Let  us  be  free  in 
the  presence  of  our  Father,  for  He  will  not  fling  our 
own  faltering  prayers  back  into  our  face. 

THE   GIFT   OF   PEACE 

This  shall  be  the  outcome  of  a  childlike  prayer. 
"The  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing shall  keep  your  hearts  and  your  thoughts  in 
Jesus  Christ."  This  is  God's  great  gift  to  the 
trustful  praying  soul,  calm  peace,  unutterable  joy. 
This  experience  passeth  understanding,  because 
it  is  a  matter  of  life,  not  logic.  Like  all  the  deep 
things  of  life  it  is  incomprehensible,  that  is,  it  can 
only  be  known  in  and  through  itself.  It  is  not 
passive  quietness,  the  mere  extinction  of  desire, 
since  that  would  but  abolish  the  problem  and  not 
solve  it.  The  Christian  religion  quickens  and 
satisfies  pure  desires,  and  gives  us  the  activity  of 
life  without  its  fever  and  pain.  This  is  the  legacy 
left  by  Jesus  to  His  disciples  (John  XIV.,  27).  He 
will  lead  us  into  the  way  of  His  Cross  and  impart 
to  us  the  secret  of  His  own  blessedness.  Peace 
with  God  through  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  peace  with 


WORSHIP  AND  LIFE  251 

self  through  our  reconciliation  with  God,  peace 
with  men  through  the  forgiving  friendly  spirit. 
The  true  guardian  angel  of  the  soul  is  the  peace 
of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding. 

"  Peace,  perfect  peace  in  this  dark  world  of  sin 
The  blood  of  Jesus  whispers  peace  within." 


A   NOBLE    CREED 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

A  NOBLE  CREED 
(IV,  8,  9). 

The  last  verse  was  a  benediction,  and  might  have 
served  as  a  suitable  conclusion  of  the  epistle,  but 
the  apostle  writes  as  if  he  were  speaking.  In  im- 
agination he  sees  before  him  the  eager.,  attentive, 
hearers,  and  so  real  is  this  impression  that  he  feels 
their  attraction,  and  is  compelled  to  add  new 
words  of  gratitude  and  counsel.  That  style  of 
writing  or  speaking  may,  in  the  case  of  a  feeble 
man,  degenerate  into  the  utterance  of  wearisome 
platitudes,  but  when  it  is  a  manifestation  of  conse- 
crated genius,  the  short  vigorous  sentences  that 
spring  forth  bring  new  suggestions,  and  are  felt 
to  be  all  too  few. 

In  Paul's  letters  the  exhortations  to  thoughtful, 
steadfast  goodness  usually  come  last,  or  gain 
increased  force  at  the  close,  not  because  they  are 
unimportant  items  to  be  discussed  in  a  few  words 
at  the  end,  nor  on  the  other  hand,  because  they 
form  a  beautiful  climax  and  forcible  application. 
The  reason  seems  rather  to  be  that  in  Paul's  view 
you  must  lay  the  foundation,  and  then  rear  the 
building  upon  it.  The  ethical  teaching  grows  out 
of  the  theology.  We  have  first  the  religious  teach- 
ing which  is  regarded  as  fundamental  and  vital, 

255 


256  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

and  then  there  is  sketched  the  life  that  is  in  har- 
mony with  such  teaching.  If  a  good,  healthy- 
root  is  planted  in  congenial  soil,  watered  by  the 
rain  and  warmed  by  the  sun,  there  will,  in  due 
course,  appear  the  appropriate  blossoms  and  fruit. 
He  presents  in  tender  and  loving  forms  the  self- 
sacrificing  love  of  Jesus,  who,  for  our  sake,  made 
Himself  of  no  reputation,  and  became  in  the 
richest  and  fullest  sense  our  servant ;  and  springing 
out  of  this  manifestation  of  divine  love  in  human 
form  is  the  demand  for  loyal  response  and  grateful 
self-surrender  on  our  part.  The  man  who  has  felt 
the  quickening  power  of  real  faith  must  constantly 
bring  himself  to  the  test  of  real  life,  remembering 
that  the  sweet,  mystic  fellowship  is  the  inspiration 
for  strong  character  and  a  many-sided  service. 

RELIGION    AND    MORALITY 

In  days  when  life  is  simple,  and  men  are  not 
much  given  to  speculation,  there  is  no  clear  dis- 
tinction drawn  between  religion  and  morality. 
It  is  implied  that  religion  grasps  the  whole  of  life. 
In  our  time,  there  are  those  who  make  a  deep 
separation  between  religion  and  morality,  worship 
and  conduct.  We  cannot  now  enter  into  the 
philosophy  of  this,  but  we  must  note  the  fact,  that 
prophets  and  apostles  refused  to  see  any  such  dis- 
tinction or  countenance  any  such  separation. 
Underlying  the  Ten  Commandments,  the  fiery 
preaching  of  the  prophets,  and  the  earnest  appeals 
of  the  apostles  there  is  the  same  principle,  namely 
this,  that  our  duty  to  our  fellow-men  is  based  upon 
our  duty  to  God,  and  that  these  are  the  two  sides 


A  NOBLE  CREED  257 

of  religion.     There  is  always  the  danger  of  making 
religion  a  thing  of  ceremony,  confining  it  to  sacred 
days  and  special  performances.     Then  it  becomes 
merely  a  means  of  covering  sin  and  bargaining  for 
God's  favour,  a  paltry  piece  of  religious  etiquette 
that  has  no  living  connection  with  the  common  cares 
and  sorrows  of  life.     No  body  of  men  ever  fought 
more  consistently  and  courageously  against  such 
a  view  than  the  Hebrew  prophets,  and  our  Lord, 
the  highest  of  prophets,  laid  down  His  life  in  the 
struggle-    against    ecclesiastical    narrowness    and 
bigotry.     But,  we  need  to  guard  against  the  other 
extreme,  the  sentimental   scepticism  that  thinks 
that  the  highest  goodness  can  flourish,  and  the 
noblest  character  grow,  without  any  religious  basis, 
or  Christian  inspiration.     We  must  not  make  a 
fetish  of  our  Church,  or  a  superstition  of  our  re- 
ligion, but  we  must  hold  fast  to  the  conviction 
that  through  the  love  revealed  in  the  Christ  we  find 
nourishment  for  our  souls,  and  stimulus ;  towards 
real   purity.     No   doubt  "He  prayeth  best  who 
loveth  best  all  things  both  great  and  small,    but 
that  is  not  a  sweet  sentiment  of  our  own  creation 
but  the  heroic  passion,  the  mighty  power  kindled 
at  the  Cross,  and  expressing  itself  in  both  worship 
and  work. 

CHRISTIAN    IDEALS 

Ideals  are  living,  authoritative  thoughts,  noble 
aspirations,  wholesome  visions  that  lure  men 
through  difficult  paths  to  higher  duties  They 
come'from  God  to  uplift  the  life  of  faithful  mem 
The  worldly  ideals  are  the  possession  of  food  and 
fine  clothing,  the  control  of  money,  the  exercise  of 


258  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

power,  the  enjoyment  of  pleasure  and  popularity. 
The  cynic  tells  us  that  these  are  the  real  things, 
and  that  so-called  "higher  things"  are  vain  dreams, 
or  if  we  like  a  finer  name,  mere  poetry.  In  the 
presence  of  such  cold,  sceptical  teaching  we  remem- 
ber the  great  claim  of  our  Master,  "My  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world,"  and  the  penetrating  question, 
"What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul"  ? 

Reverence  and  Faith.  Two  of  the  great  enemies 
to  the  spiritual  life  are  scepticism  and  irreverence. 
A  man  may  be  in  a  healthful  condition  even  when 
he  is  tormented  by  perplexities  and  haunted  by 
doubts  (Psalm  LXXIII).  So  long  as  we  believe 
that  there  is  truth  to  be  found  and  goodness  to  be 
reverenced,  we  are  not  hopeless  though  we  may  be 
unhappy.  Two  extremes  had  to  be  fought  in 
Paul's  day  as  in  our  own,  the  bigotry  that  claimed 
to  have  reached  finality,  and  the  scepticism  that 
declared  the  search  for  truth  to  be  in  vain ;  the  one 
hardened  the  mind  and  narrowed  its  vision,  the 
other  withered  its  energies  and  paralysed  its 
action.  Scepticism  and  irreverence  denote  two 
sides  of  the  same  blighting  influence;  if  "we  live" 
by  admiration,  hope,  and  love,  true  life  is  impossible 
where  they  do  not  prevail.  The  man  who  really 
appreciates  and  appropriates  the  teaching  of  Jesus 
Christ  will  have  an  open  mind  for  all  forms  of  truth. 
He  who  truly  worships  God  will  gladly  pay  homage 
to  every  worthy  institution,  man,  or  thing.  The 
negative,  critical  attitude  is  not  sufficient ;  the  soul 
must  respond  to  the  inward  spiritual  impulse  by 
going  out  to  link  itself  with  all  noble  forms  of  God- 


A  NOBLE  CREED  259 

given  life.  The  essence  of  faith  is  truth-seeking, 
and  the  core  of  religion  is  worship,  hence  the  Chris- 
tian disciple  must  be  alert  for  all  that  is  true  and 
honourable. 

Strength  and  Breadth.  The  ideal  of  truth  and 
honour  above  and  around  us  must  be  embodied  in 
personal  life  and  conduct.  Righteousness  in  deed, 
purity  in  thought;  surely  this  is  searching  enough 
from  the  standpoint  of  morality.  Is  it  a  great 
demand  that  we  should  be  straight  and  square  in 
our  dealings,  and  chaste  down  to  the  roots  of  our 
being?  If  the  statement  is  not  specific  enough 
we  can  make  it  so  in  our  application  of  it  to  our  own 
case ;  and  more,  we  must  make  it  specific  if  we  are 
determined  followers  of  Jesus.  There  are  things 
that  are  as  well  not  named  that  must  be  fought. 
That  which  is  mean  and  unjust,  lawless  and  unclean, 
is  essentially  unchristian;  if  we  have  the  spirit  of 
the  Christ  we  will  spontaneously  seek  another 
atmosphere.  Is  not  this  enough?  Can  the  strict- 
est puritanism  demand  more?  Yes,  we  must  have 
purity  without  puritanism.  Religion  is  social  as 
well  as  solitary ;  it  is  the  very  same  power  of  love 
that  purifies  the  personal  life  and  creates  the  noblest 
power  of  fellowship.  There  are  also  things  lovely 
and  endearing,  things  gracious  and  of  good  report. 
The  beautiful,  as  well  as  the  true  and  the  good, 
comes  within  the  range  of  Christian  aspiration. 
The  Christian  man  cannot  be  content  with  that 
which  is  just  and  honest  merely  in  the  legal  sense; 
he  will  desire  to  cultivate  loyalty  and  chivalry. 
Morality  is  not  sufficient,  nor  even  "morality 
touched  with  emotion."     It  is  more  than  a  mere 


260  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

"touch,"  it  is  that  attractive,  winsome, helpful  grace 
which  springs  out  of  the  very  heart  of  Christian 
faith.  Goodness  need  not  always  be  stern  and  rude; 
it  may  be  refined,  gentle  and  courteous.  The  Chris- 
tian may  join  the  Hebrew  strength  and  simplicity  to 
Greek  beauty  and  symmetry  of  life  and  character. 
Virtue  is  not  a  common  word  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, occurring  only  here  and  in  II.  Peter  13,5. 
But  it  was  common  in  the  great  outside  world,  and 
Paul  will  not  cast  contempt  upon  it.  It  might  be 
sometimes  associated  with  unprofitable  discussion, 
or  shallow  pride,  but  it  was  a  noble  word  with  a 
great  history,  and  meant  strength,  self-reliance 
and  self-control.  So  it  has  its  place  in  the  Chris- 
tian life  which  finds  its  natural  activity  in  social 
service.  Virtue  must  not  live  apart  but  go  hand 
in  hand  with  praise;  the  strength  of  our  own  life 
will  welcome  praiseworthy  companions  from  every 
quarter.  If  then,  perchance,  there  be  any  virtue 
or  praise  in  the  society  round  about  you,  do  not 
depreciate  it,  or  lightly  call  it  counterfeit:  on 
the  contrary,  take  note  of  it,  reckon  it  as  part  of 
God's  kingdom,  and  of  your  possible  possession. 

THE    THINGS    TO    BE    COUNTED 

"Think  upon  them."  That  is  good  counsel, 
for  a  man's  life  is  very  much  influenced  by  the 
things  to  which  he  gives  thoughtful  meditation. 
Some  translate,  "Let  such  be  your  treasure"; 
which  is  a  splendid  thought,  and  very  near  to  the 
original.  There  is  a  picture  in  the  word,  "reckon 
these  things  in";  as  if  a  man  should  go  round  his 
estate  making  an  inventory  of  his  possessions.     A 


A  NOBLE  CREED  261 

man  may  take  stock  of  his  business,  and  not  enter 
in  his  books  anything  concerning  his  character, 
the  confidence  of  his  creditors,  the  faithfulness  of 
his  employees,  and  yet  these  are  great  things.  He 
reckons  cash  paid  and  cash  received,  so  many 
articles  bought  and  sold,  and  so  much  profit  on 
each.  But  there  is  another  kind  of  reckoning,  in 
which  account  is  taken  of  things  that  bank- 
books and  stock-books  do  not  directly  mention, 
such  personal  attainments  and  social  virtues  as 
have  been  set  before  us  in  this  varied  and  beautiful 
list;  these  are  the  things  which  constitute  the 
abiding  wealth  of  the  soul,  and  he  who  possesses 
them  is  rich  toward  God  and  useful  to  his  fellow- 
men. 

THE    LIVING    EPISTLES 

These  things  are  beautiful  when  set  forth  in 
persuasive  forms  of  speech  or  writing,  but  their 
real  power  is  seen  in  the  lives  of  men  who  know 
the  peace  of  God.  Many  of  these  disciples  had 
little  time  to  study  books  or  work  out  theories  of 
virtue;  and  besides,  they  were  hampered  by  early 
prejudices  and  the  evil  customs  of  society.  It 
was  from  the  open  book  of  a  noble  life  that  they 
read  the  eternal  message,  and  received  the  new 
inspiration.  The  lives  of  faithful  Christians 
revealed  the  real  nature  of  the  new  faith,  and  led 
many  to  welcome  it  light.  Paul  could  point  to  the 
things  that  they  had  heard  and  learned  and  seen 
in  him.  He  did  not  claim  to  have  reached  per- 
fection, or  to  have  compassed  all  possible  forms  of 
goodness,  but  he  could  modestly  declare  that  he  had 
been  a  faithful  teacher,  and  safe  guide  in  the  true 


262  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

path  of  aspiration  and  progress.  If  his  fellow- 
believers  only  have  his  spirit,  they  will  not  rely 
too  much  upon  him,  but  will  explore  for  themselves 
the  great  world  to  which  he  points  the  way. 

But  this  leads  us  back  to  One  who  had  con- 
strained Paul  by  the  power  of  love,  and  made  all 
his  acquisitions  and  capabilities  available  for  the 
service  of  the  Church.  Paul  could  not  have 
written  in  this  fashion  if  he  had  not  tried  many 
experiments,  learned  many  lessons  and  travelled 
on  many  paths,  but  in  Jesus  Christ  he  found  the 
power  that  gave  both  rest  and  stimulus.*  He  was 
terribly  in  earnest,  but  he  was  not  restless.  He 
could  say,  "Do  these  things,  and  the  God  of  peace 
shall  be  with  you."  The  living  water  from  which 
he  drank  is  flowing  for  us,  the  sacred  fire  that 
kindled  his  enthusiasm  is  still  the  source  of  our 
cleansing  and  quenching;  hence  these  triumphant 
words  are  also  ours.  These  are  glorious  words  to 
ring  in  our  ears,  through  sickness  and  sorrow, 
through  failure  and  triumph,  through  life  and 
death — "the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you." 

*See  Chapter  XVII. 


THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  AS  A  CHRISTIAN 
TEACHER 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

THE  APOSTLE   PAUL  AS  A  CHRISTIAN 
TEACHER 

(IV,  8,  9) 

The  Christian  religion  is  pre-eminently  a  teach- 
ing religion;  its  real  nature  is  not  shown  in  a 
definite  moral  code,  a  particular  ritual,  or  an 
abstract  theological  system,  but  in  that  teaching 
which,  growing  out  of  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ, 
appeals  in  living  forms  to  the  mind,  heart  and 
conscience  of  men  who  are  seeking  the  truth.  It 
is  not  in  vain  that  our  Lord  is  called  the  Great 
Teacher;  He  proves  himself  to  be  this  in  the  eyes 
of  His  disciples  and  the  history  of  the  world.  If 
we  ask  the  question,  how  is  it  that  at  the  origin  of 
Christianity  a  few  courageous,  simple-minded  men 
accomplished  such  tremendous  results,  the  answer 
is,  because  they  were  well  taught.  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  could  speak  with  simple  dignity  and 
winsome  power  to  the  multitude  so  that  "the  com- 
mon people  heard  Him  gladly,"  but  after  His  own 
life  of  self-sacrifice  His  great  work  was  what  has 
been  appropriately  called  "the  teaching  of  the 
Twelve."  The  men  "who  had  been  with  Jesus" 
were  so  thoroughly  taught  that  in  the  strength 
of  their  God-given  convictions  they  could  face  the 
world  and  change  the  current  of  its  life  and  history. 
265 


266  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

If  we  ask  another  equally  pertinent  question, 
how  is  it  that  so  many  people  are  at  the  present 
day  carried  away  after  foolish  fads  and  fashions, 
the  answer  will  lead  us  in  the  same  direction.  We 
have  been  passing  through  a  period  of  great  shak- 
ing and  radical  change,  and  those  who  are  ill-fur- 
nished with  intellectual  and  moral  principles  are 
not  sure  of  anything.  Hence  many  kind-hearted 
people  are  led  to  follow  movements  and  believe 
things  which  imply  that  the  human  race  in  its  long, 
toilsome  experience  has  learned  nothing,  that  all 
God's  various '  forms  of  revelation  have  been  in 
vain.  This  simply  shows  that  our  generation  has 
not  been  well  trained,  and  that  while  the  "ad- 
vanced men"  and  the  "traditionalists"  have  fought 
their  battles  round  every  subject,  a  most  important 
work  has  been  neglected  or  only  partially  performed. 
If  Christian  disciples  are  to  be  strong,  joyful,  and 
influential,  their  minds  must  be  nourished  on  true 
teaching. 

j  Our  Lord  is  the  supreme  example;  in  this,  as  in 
all  else,  his  teaching  is  living,  concrete,  full-orbed. 
It  almost  defies  analysis  by  its  well-balanced  sym- 
metry and  spiritual  perfection.  In  the  Apostle 
Paul  we  have  not  only  the  first  great  Christian 
missionary  but  also  one  of  the  noblest  and  most 
successful  of  Christian  teachers.  In  one  brief 
essay  it  is  little  that  can  be  said  as  to  his  method 
and  spirit,  but  that  little  may  be  put  in  a  way  that 
is  suggestive. 

Let  us  take  a  threefold  view  of  Paul  as  a  teacher. 
It  may  not  be  exhaustive,  but  so  far  as  it  goes  it  is, 
we  believe,  both  true  and  helpful.     In  doing  this 


PAUL  THE  TEACHER  267 

we  shall  venture  to  apply  to  the  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  words  which  are  often  used  as  terms  of 
reproach.  We  admit  that  there  may  be  reason 
in  this,  when  they  can  be  used  separately,  but  at 
the  same  time  we  maintain  that  the  reproach 
vanishes  when  they  can  all  be  applied  to  one  man. 
Paul  was  a  moral  teacher.  We  shall  admit 
this  if  we  have  fathomed  the  meaning  of  one  of 
his  great  sayings,  namely  this,  "Let  all  things  be 
done  unto  edification."  At  the  present  time  we 
are  told  that  the  Christian  Church  has  lost  its 
moral  power,  that  it  makes  men  religious  without 
making  them  good,  and  that  "Ethical  Societies" 
are  needed  to  separate  ethics  from  religion  and 
inspire  moral  enthusiasm.  If  ethical  societies 
can  do  any  good,  by  all  means  let  them  do  it,  but 
we  have  little  faith  in  a  morality  built  upon 
agnosticism,  and  we  feel  sure  that  if  we  follow 
the  example  of  Jesus  and  His  apostles  we  shall 
not  allow  religion  to  be  divorced  from  conduct. 
Of  Paul  we  may  say  that  he  gave  due  prominence 
to  moral  character  and  noble  conduct,  but  his 
ethics  grew  out  of  his  theology.  If  we  notice 
the  plan  upon  which  his  epistles  are  built  we  see 
that,  as  a  rule,  he  presents  his  great  message  con- 
cerning the  relation  of  the  soul  to  God  and  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  out  of 
these  grow  his  conception  of  the  new  life  with  its 
loyalty  to  God  and  its  faithfulness  to  all  human 
duties.  Paul's  morality  springs  from  the  Cross; 
it  is  rooted  in  the  central  Christian  verities.  It 
is  therefore  positive  in  its  nature.  We  do  not 
despise  the  ten  commandments  because  they  are 


268  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

so  largely  negative;  they  are  important,  if  elemen- 
tary; they  set  needful  limits  to  human  lust  and 
lawlessness.  But  mark  the  change  and  advance 
in  these  two  utterances,  "Thou  shalt  not  steal"; 
"Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more,  but  rather  let 
him  labour,  working  with  his  hands  that  he  may  give 
to  him  that  needeth."  What  a  magnificent  sweep 
there  is  in  Paul's  demand  for  a  positive  moral  life, 
the  bringing  into  society  through  each  believing' 
soul  of  the  life  of  Christ.  This  is  a  morality  of 
principles,  not  of  small  rules.  In  an  age  of 
casuistry,  of  Rabbinic  hair-splitting,  Paul  gave 
real  moral  principles  which  it  required  intelligence 
to  apply,  but  which  uplift  us  just  in  propor- 
tion as  we  make  a  strenuous  effort  to  live  them. 
"Let  all  things  be  done  unto  edifying"  does  not 
mean  simply  that  we  are  to  have  pleasant, 
profitable,  devotional  meetings  where  we  can  speak 
sweet  and  comforting  words  to  each  other.  They 
suggest  the  truth  which  Longfellow  has  put  into 
simple,  beautiful  words. 

"All  are  architects  of  Fate, 

Working  in  these  walls  of  Time; 

Some  with  massive  deeds  and  great, 

Some  with  ornaments  of  rhyme. 

"  For  the  structure  that  we  raise, 
Time  is  with  materials  filled: 
Our  to-days  and  yesterdays 

Are  the  blocks  with  which  we  build." 

If  our  young  men  grasped  the  truth  that  we  are 
all  character-builders  working  for  eternity  as  well 
as  time,  they  would  have  a  living  principle  which 
would  help  them  to  solve  many  moral  problems 


PAUL  THE  TEACHER  269 

and  would  stimulate  their  spiritual  growth.  Many- 
small  amusements  and  dangerous  habits  would 
be  cast  aside  under  the  influence  of  this  Christian 
thought.  Paul  in  applying  this  truth  remembered 
that  no  man  liveth  to  himself,  and  the  strong  man, 
if  he  is  a  Christian  disciple,  will  not  in  all  things 
please  himself.  While  we  are  not  to  be  in  bondage 
to  "the  weaker  brother"  we  must  consider  his 
claims  with  delicate  tact  and  in  a  spirit  of  tender- 
ness. Thus,  Paul's  morality  was  individual  in 
this,  that  it  sprang  from  an  inward  principle  of 
personal  life,  but  it  was  social  in  that  the  indi- 
vidual was  taught  to  think  of  himself  as  part  of  an 
organic  whole.  If  the  Church  to-day  can  grasp 
the  spirit  of  such  teaching  and  face  the  world 
with  Paul's  robust  faith,  intelligent  insight  and 
living  sympathy,  she  will  show  once  more  that 
she  is  the  true  "Ethical  Society." 

Paul  was  a  Rationalist.  If  we  consider  the 
time  when  it  was  spoken,  this  was  also  a  great  utter- 
ance, "Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his 
own  mind."  Very  often  sceptical  and  irreverent 
men  have  claimed  to  have  a  monopoly  of  "free- 
thinking."  Paul  would  have  been  the  last  to 
admit  such  a  preposterous  claim;  he  proved  that 
a  man  can  think  freely  while  he  is  receptive 
towards  God's  revelation  and  loyal  to  Christ.  It 
is  true  that  many  regarded  the  Apostle  as  danger- 
ous and  destructive,  but  they  were  profoundly 
mistaken.  He  was  the  great  constructive  genius 
of  his  age.  He  believed  thoroughly  in  the  rights 
of  the  individual  reason  and  conscience,  while  no 
one  preached  more   powerfully  the   great   truth 


270  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

that  we  are  members  one  of  another.  The  Church 
could  not  rise  to  his  high  level,  and  soon  after  his 
time  the  Church,  as  a  corporation,  began  to 
coerce  and  crush  the  individual  life,  and  Church- 
leaders  hankered  after  uniformity  of  outward  life 
instead  of  unity  of  spirit.  So  there  came  a  time 
when  the  Pauline  exhortation,  "Let  every  man 
be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind"  was  foreign 
to  the  tone  and  temper  of  the  Christian  community. 
But  the  fact  remains  that  Paul's  ideal  was  the 
diversity  of  operations  from  the  same  spirit.  He 
was  not  an  "individualist"  in  any  shallow  atom- 
istic sense,  but  to  him  the  thought  and  conscience 
of  the  individual  man  were  very  precious.  He 
would  have  men  realize  their  highest  life  in  and 
through  a  willing  self-surrender  and  not  by  an 
unwilling  slavery.  Paul  respected  and  honoured 
the  claims  of  intellect  even  when  he  poured  con- 
tempt on  a  perverse  philosophy;  and  though  he 
possessed  a  revelation  he  felt  called  to  commend 
himself  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of 
God.  It  may  be  necessary  to  reprove  "pride  of 
intellect"  as  well  as  all  other  forms  of  pride,  but 
this  may  be  carried  to  an  extreme,  and  we  may 
create  the  impression  that  there  is  something 
essentially  satanic  and  dangerous  in  intellectual 
activity.  We  may  well  learn  from  the  life  of  Paul 
that  honest  thinking  is  just  as  pious  as  earnest 
praying,  and  that  it  is  quite  consistent  with  Chris- 
tian humility  to  resist  arrogant  traditionalism  and 
narrow  dogmatism.  It  is  important  that  religion 
should  inspire  noble  conduct,  but  to  do  this  it  must 
satisfy  intellectual  needs.     We  must  be  as  open 


PAUL  THE  TEACHER  271 

and  as  ready  to  receive  new  light  and  leading  as 
Paul  was  in  his  day  and  if  this  is  "rationalism" 
it  is  rationalism  of  the  right  healthful  kind  which 
will  bring  the  true  enlightenment  and  emancipa- 
tion. 

Paul  was  a  Mystic.  He  believed  in  the  inward 
life  and  light;  he  could  say,  "I  live,  yet  not  I; 
Christ  liveth  in  me."  He  was  a  spiritualist  in  the 
true  sense.  There  is  a  living  spirit  in  man  and 
therefore  the  capacity  for  communion  with  God, 
Christ  in  the  heart,  the  hope  of  glory,  the  glory 
of  harmony  with  God,  and  of  realizing  the  true 
life.  In  our  own  generation  we  have  seen  a 
strong  movement  towards  materialism.  We  have 
heard  the  leading  men  of  science  concede  that 
there  is  something  behind  the  brain,  something 
that  his  science  does  not  reach,  and  tell  us  patron- 
izingly that  if  we  like  to  call  this  something  "soul" 
we  can  do  so,  but  we  must  remember  that  we  are 
talking  "poetry."  For  ourselves  we  are  not  much 
concerned  whether  the  form  is  poetic  or  prosaic  so 
long  as  the  substance  is  truth.  Then  again  we 
have  seen  a  fierce  reaction  from  this  materialism 
lead  to  a  false  mysticism.  A  man  who  has  any- 
thing like  the  clearness  and  balance  of  Paul  can 
observe  these  whirls  and  eddies  of  popular  opinion 
without  being  carried  away  by  them.  Paul 
knew  in  whom  he  trusted.  Jesus  had  laid  hold 
on  him  with  a  firm  grasp.  To  him  the  despised 
Jesus  had  become  the  key  to  the  past,  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  present,  and  the  hope  of  the  future. 
He  was  not  carried  away  by  the  changing  winds  of 
doctrine,    or    enticing    lawlessness,    because    his 


272  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

religion  met  all  the  needs  of  his  full,  rich  nature. 
No  side  of  his  life  was  left  unsatisfied  and  barren. 
Behind  his  thinking  and  acting  there  was  the 
mystic  force  of  a  supreme  love — "The  love  of 
Christ  constrain eth  me";  that  was  a  healthful 
force  which  gave  noble  rapture  and  abiding 
strength.  While  weaker  men  were  going  about 
boasting  of  their  visions  he  showed  himself  to  be 
the  true  mystic  by  living  his  visions. 

It  is  because  Paul  was  all  of  these  things  that  he 
was  each  one  in  the  right  way.  The  moralist  who 
separates  conduct  from  truth  and  life  is  super- 
ficial; the  rationalist  who  exalts  the  individual 
reason  to  the  supreme  place  becomes  irrational; 
the  mystic  who  seeks  rapture  and  visions  for  their 
own  sakes  will  become  "visionary"  and  helpless. 
But  when  all  these  sides  of  our  complex  God-given 
nature  are  met  and  satisfied,  then  we  have  a  well- 
balanced  man  able  to  live  the  true  life  and  to 
teach  others.  Such  a  man  was  Paul,  and  his  well- 
balanced  manhood  is  reflected  in  his  teaching. 


THE  JOY  OF  GIVING  AND   RECEIVING 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  JOY  OF   GIVING  AND  RECEIVING 
(IV,  10-20) 

Paul  closes  this  epistle  with  a  personal  acknowl- 
edgment, a  warm  expression  of  gratitude,  and  he 
does  this  in  a  way  that  shows  how  he  can  lift  these 
matters  of  personal  relationship  to  a  lofty  plane. 
In  declaring  our  gratitude  to  God  or  man,  it  is  easy 
to   drop   into  empty,  commonplace  phrases.     To 
Paul,  however,  this  was  not  easy;  he  was  always 
original,  that  is,  he  spoke  always  out  of  a  fresh 
living  experience.     The  Philippians,  on  their  side, 
were  a  thoughtful,  generous  people.     The  gospel 
which  they  had  received  had  been  to  them  such  a 
quickening,   joy-inspiring  power  that  they   were 
anxious  to  shew  keen  appreciation  by  ministering 
to  the  man  who  had  come  to  them  as  the  messenger 
of  God.     The  remarkable  thing  is  that  there  was 
a  real  spiritual  fellowship  between  them  and  Paul, 
so  that  he  felt  that  he  could  receive  gifts  from 
them,   even   when  he  was   compelled  to   decline 
them  from  others.     Thus,  in  uttering  his  personal 
gratitude,  he  reveals  an  important  side  of  his  life. 
He  is  thankful  for  what  they  have  done  for  him 
but  he  states  this  in  a  way  that  is  likely  to  impress 
upon  his  disciples  the  great  principle— which  he 
had  embodied  in  his  own  life,  "It  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive." 

275 


376  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

One  outstanding  feature  of  Paul's  character  is  a 
strong  sense  of  independence.  Those  who  think 
that  humility  in  the  Christian  man  means  a  weak 
crawling  condition  will  find  no  support  for  that 
error  in  the  story  of  this  man's  life.  He  was  a 
lowly,  childlike  man,  bowing  trustfully  before 
God;  he  was  also  a  brotherly  man  seeking  to  live 
in  noble  fellowship  with  others;  he  counted  him- 
self the  servant  of  all,  but  he  would  not  be  the  paid 
lackey  of  any  man,  or  community  of  men.  He 
must  maintain  a  strong  independent  manhood  if 
he  was  to  do  the  work  committed  to  him;  if  that 
was  lost  or  crippled  he  could  not  be  either  an 
efficient  minister  of  Christ  or  a  true  servant  of 
men.  The  manner  of  his  conversion,  the  pecu- 
liarity of  his  position,  standing  as  he  did  outside 
the  original  circle  of  apostles,  made  him  specially 
sensitive  on  this  point. 

Paul  maintained  that  as  a  matter  of  right,  the 
labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,  and  the  man  who 
gives  up  time  and  strength  to  minister  to  his 
brethren  is  worthy  of  their  generous,  loyal  sup- 
port. If  that  was  not  true  there  would  be  nothing 
special  in  his  conduct;  the  point  is  that  he  volun- 
tarily refrained  from  his  right,  for  reasons  that 
some  thought  foolish  but  which  to  him  were  power- 
ful and  sufficient.  He  worked  with  his  hands;  he 
received  private  support  from  his  friends  that  he 
might  be  unfettered,  free  to  go  wherever  his  large 
commission  called  him.  This  was  certainly  gen- 
erous action  on  his  part;  but  as  even  the  noblest 
action  will  not  please  all,  it  was  by  some  set  down 
to  wilful  eccentricity  or  showy  pride.     In  a  cer- 


JOY  OF  GIVING  AND  RECEIVING    277 

tain  sense  Paul  was  proud,  for  there  is  a  pride  that 
is  quite  consistent  with  high  Christian  manhood. 
This  passage  shows  that,  under  certain  circum- 
stances, he  did  accept  gifts.  He  did  not  accept 
them  as  payment  for  his  services,  he  did  not  con- 
sider that  the  highest  spiritual  ministry  could 
in  any  real  sense  receive  payment.  A  man  can  be 
supported,  kept  alive,  a  certain  allowance  can  be 
made  for  the  wear  and  tear  of  his  life,  but  there  is 
no  price  for  a  man's  soul.  The  greatest  poets, 
preachers  and  teachers  have  never  received  much 
of  this  world's  coin  in  recognition  of  their  services, 
and  it  is  just  as  well,  for  wisdom  and  truth,  sym- 
pathy and  love  are  not  marketable  commodities. 
The  highest  salaries  are  not  paid  to  men  who  do 
the  noblest  work  but  often  to  those  who  bewilder 
and  mislead.  When  you  look  at  Paul's  work  in 
the  light  of  these  nineteen  centuries,  do  you  think 
that  any  bank  cheque  could  give  a  full  and  final 
payment  for  it  ?  Paul  judged  it  well  to  waive  the 
just  claim  for  support  and  limited  himself  to 
receiving  gifts  which  were  the  real  expression  of 
sincere  friendship.  His  feeling  in  such  cases  might 
be  expressed  in  the  words  of  Emerson: 

"  Gifts  from  one  who  loved  me, 
'Twas  high  time  they  came; 
When  he  ceased  to  love  me, 
Time  they  stopped  for  shame." 

Friendship  of  the  highest  kind  is  a  difficult  and 
delicate  affair.  Within  a  family  there  should  be 
real  family  feeling,  so  that  its  members  can  give 
and  receive  help  without  any  sense  of  dependence 
or  shame.     Even  that  is  not  always  possible;  but 


278  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

how  rare  it  is  for  two  people  to  be  on  such  terms 
of  friendship  that  they  can  give  and  receive  help 
without  obligation  or  misunderstanding.  This 
rare,  noble  fellowship  existed  between  Paul  and 
the  Philippian  disciples,  and  in  this  passage  he 
reveals  the  spiritual  basis  of  that  relationship. 
The  passage  is  highly  suggestive,  and  it  is  well 
worth  careful  attention  in  order  that  we  may  note 
the  character  of  the  apostles'  thought  and  catch 
the  spirit  of  his  teaching.  He  uses  boldness  of 
speech,  the  boldness  that  is  the  prerogative  of  the 
noblest  strength  and  which  is  not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  pretentiousness  of  ignorant  presumption. 
He  recognizes  the  generosity  of  the  people,  who 
had  sent  a  messenger  on  the  long  toilsome  journey 
to  minister  to  him,  during  his  imprisonment  at 
Rome.  This  was  spontaneous  generosity;  it  was 
not  a  tax  unwillingly  paid  but  a  free  gift  springing 
from  gratitude  and  love.  The  thoughtful  friend- 
ship that  was  behind  it  gave  it  strength,  beauty, 
and  acceptability.  Paul  accepted  it  gladly,  and 
acknowledged  it  heartily;  but  the  boldness  of  his 
speech  consists  in  this,  that  he  is  able  to  declare 
that  he  rejoices  in  the  gift  not  for  his  own  sake  but 
for  theirs.  He  does  not  deny  that  he  drew  help, 
joy  and  satisfaction  out  of  it;  but  he  maintains 
that  they  who  gave  freely  of  their  substance  gained 
a  great  blessing  through  their  generosity.  In  any 
case,  he  would  have  continued  the  struggle  by 
God's  help  and  carried  on  the  great  work;  but  if, 
in  the  presence  of  his  affliction,  they  had  remained 
neglectful  and  narrow,  they  would  have  missed 
a  God-sent  opportunity  of  holiest  service.     It  is 


JOY  OF  GIVING  AND  RECEIVING    279 

possible  for  us  now  to  see  Paul's  life  through  and 
through,  and  to  understand  the  full  meaning  of  its 
supreme  struggle.  We  can  see  this  life  all  the 
more  clearly  because  many  petty  things  that 
created  misunderstanding  and  caused  misinter- 
pretation have  fallen  away.  We  know  that  it 
was  a  true  life,  without  a  wilful  lie  in  it;  we  know 
that  this  statement  was  true  both  to  his  own  feel- 
ing and  the  actual  facts  of  the  case.  The  gift  had 
pleased  and  helped  him,  but  the  supreme  blessing 
fell  back  upon  the  givers. 

But  how  do  we  receive  such  tidings  from  the 
living  voice?  Suppose  the  Christian  teacher 
courteously  but  courageouly  addresses  a  man  of 
wealth  in  these  terms;  "God  who  has  called  me 
will  care  for  me,  He  will  feed  and  clothe  me ;  He  will 
also  take  care  of  the  Church;  in  proportion  to  the 
divine  life  in  her  she  will  accomplish  great  things, 
whoever  gives  or  whoever  withholds;  but  I  am 
concerned  about  you.  If  you  shut  yourself  up  in 
a  small  selfish  world  and  have  your  soul  strangled 
by  miserable  greed,  you  are  bringing  upon  your- 
self a  present  damnation." 

Such  a  speech  can  only  be  given  by  a  man  of 
unquestionable  strength  and  sincerity.  It  is 
part  of  the  living  gospel  and  reveals  the  steward- 
ship of  life.  It  places  a  severe  test  upon  the 
hearer;  to  the  selfish,  cynical  man  it  may  seem 
to  be  only  a  plausible  form  of  begging,  a  clever 
attempt  to  capture  his  money  for  Church  purposes. 
Paul  ventures  to  take  this  high  ground  and  main- 
tain that  his  chief  joy  in  the  gifts  sprang  from  his 
gladness  over  the  spiritual  fruitfulness,  the  self- 


28o  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

sacrifice  manifested  by  those  to  whom  he  has  min- 
istered. In  stating  the  reasons  for  this,  he  gives 
us  a  revelation  of  his  own  deepest  life. 

paul's  revelation  of  himself 

i.  His  self -sufficiency.  He  speaks  not  from 
the  pressure  of  need,  because  he  has  learned  in 
whatsoever  circumstances  he  is  placed  to  be  self- 
sufficient.  "Content"  is  too  small  a  word  to 
express  Paul's  real  meaning.  There  is  a  shallow 
self-sufficiency  which  dispenses  with  God  and 
despises  the  Christ.  That  was  far  from  Paul's 
thought;  he  was  never  capable  of  anything  so 
absurd.  He  tells  us  plainly  that  his  power  to  do 
and  bear  all  things  is  from  Jesus  Christ.  This 
self-sufficiency  has  come  to  him  through  self-sur- 
render. It  is  a  popular  misconception  of  the 
Christian  religion  to  think  of  it  as  the  impoverish- 
ment of  self  instead  of  the  enrichment  of  the  whole 
manhood.  The  rich,  independent  man  is  the  man 
who  has  a  world  of  his  own,  a  faith  in  God,  an 
interpretation  of  life,  a  sympathy  with  men,  a  hope 
for  the  future.  The  weakness  of  many  people  is 
that  they  have  too  little  of  this  self-sufficiency, 
their  happiness  is  too  much  dependent  upon  things 
outside  of  them;  they  hunger  for  more  wealth, 
commercial  prosperity,  or  social  success.  How 
can  people  who  are  always  empty  and  restless 
inspire  or  guide  others?  Paul  has  gained  the 
independence  which  comes  through  complete  de- 
pendence on  God.  It  was  not  carelessness  or  a 
naturally  genial  temper;  it  had  come  through  many 
struggles  and  betokened  victory   over  self.     Not 


JOY  OF  GIVING  AND  RECEIVING    281 

in  any  academy  or  university  had  he  acquired  this 
noble  self-sufficiency  but  in  the  arena  of  life  and 
in  the  school  of  Christ. 

2.  Hence  his  power  of  adaptation  to  varied 
circumstances.  It  is  quite  legitimate  to  give  a 
general  application  to  this  declaration  of  strength, 
"I  have  strength  for  all  things  through  Christ  that 
strengthened  me,"  but  it  is  well  to  note  that  Paul 
uses  it  here  with  reference  to  bearing  the  changes 
of  life.  It  has  always  been  recognized  that  the 
highest  strength  is  needed  in  order  to  bear  well 
violent  changes  of  position.  There  are  some  peo- 
ple who  have  "come  down  in  the  world"  and  they 
are  always  whining,  reminding  others  that  they 
were  once  in  better  circumstances  and  have  been 
cruelly  treated.  This  unhealthy  groaning  soon 
becomes  positively  wearisome;  it  is  the  tone  of 
people  who  were  never  far  up  in  God's  real  world 
of  light  and  love.  Others  there  are  who  have 
gained  wealth  suddenly  and  have  been  driven  to 
excess  or  drawn  into  arrogant,  vulgar  display.  If 
we  meet  a  man  who  has  struggled  nobly  with 
poverty  and  carried  himself  modestly  in  days  of 
success,  we  feel  that  such  a  man  has  true  nobility 
of  character.  The  real  gentleman,  the  true  Chris- 
tian will  bear  poverty  or  riches  without  sordid 
meanness  and  without  ostentatious  pride. 

Paul  seems  to  have  solved  the  secret  of  doing 
either  with  or  without  many  things  that  are 
indispensable  to  others,  so  that  he  is  not  easily 
placed  at  the  mercy  of  circumstances.  This  is  a 
great  secret,  that  of  being  full  or  empty,  lacking 
or    abounding.     The    ancient    Stoic   philosophers 


282  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

claimed  to  front  life  in  that  bold  fashion.  With 
many  of  them  it  did  not  mean  much ;  a  few  mag- 
nificent specimens  like  Marcus  Aurelius  or  Epic- 
tetus  stand  out  as  lonely  stars  in  a  dark  sky.  In 
the  days  of  Paul  and  by  the  power  of  his  preaching 
the  Christian  religion  created  that  spirit  of  inde- 
pendence and  enthusiasm  in  the  minds  of  thou- 
sands. It  is  not  possible  for  the  average  minister, 
at  the  present  day  to  have,  in  all  respects,  this 
absolute  independence.  It  is  good  for  him  to  have 
wife  and  family,  home  ties  and  social  relationships, 
but  he  must  be  all  the  more  careful  to  maintain 
his  moral  courage,  intellectual  independence  and 
spiritual  freedom. 

3.  Because  Paul  had  before  his  mind  the  one 
purpose  of  leading  men  to  Christ,  and  for  the  sake 
of  this  sacred  purpose  sought  to  keep  himself  free 
from  all  lesser  entanglements — because  of  this 
he  could  truly  say,  "I  seek  not  yours  but  you"; 
"Not  that  I  seek  a  gift,  but  I  seek  the  fruit  that 
increases  to  your  account."  He  was  not  storing 
for  himself ;  but  he  wished  to  see  his  people  becom- 
ing rich  toward  God.  God  has  an  account,  a 
reckoning  and  Paul  wishes  the  Philippians  to  have 
a  balance  on  the  right  side.  God's  account-book 
is  not  like  the  world's  banking  account,  it  is  a 
record  of  precious  things  that  the  world  is  apt  to 
overlook  and  despise. 

THE    REAL   CHARACTER   OF   NOBLE    GIVING 

Having  revealed  his  own  life,  he  now  turns  to 
the  other  side  and  shows  how  he  regards  generous 
Christian  service. 


JOY  OF  GIVING  AND  RECEIVING    283 

1.  It  is  a  high  form  of  fellowship.  They  com- 
municated with  him  in  his  affliction,  they  entered 
into  his  life.  Here  we  have  a  noble  view  of  giving. 
It  is  not  simply  putting  a  coin  on  a  plate,  or  fling- 
ing a  crust  carelessly  to  a  beggar;  it  is  entering 
into  the  life  of  a  fellowman.  This  is  a  communion 
of  saints,  a  sharing  of  each  other's  life.  The  rich 
men  who  have  nobly  helped  heroic  toilers  and 
sympathised  with  struggling  genius  deserve  our 
recognition  and  praise  as  benefactors  of  mankind. 
But  this  kind  of  fellowship  is  not  confined  to  them, 
it  is  open  in  some  measure,  to  all  of  us.  We  may 
emerge  from  the  close,  stifling  atmosphere  of  self 
and  enter  into  the  life  of  a  great  human  brother- 
hood. This  is  the  Christian  religion  on  one  side, 
it  is  not  a  mere  insurance  for  the  future  or  a  seek- 
ing of  present  raptures;  it  is  an  entrance  into  the 
life  of  humanity  and  the  kingdom  of  God. 

2.  It  is  an  acceptable  sacrifice.  The  word  for 
sacrifice  here  used  referred  originally  to  those 
sacrifices  which  involved  the  shedding  of  blood. 
But  the  blood  is  the  symbol  of  life ;  and  Paul  would 
suggest  that  every  exercise  of  real  generosity  is  an 
outpouring  of  life.  The  shedding  of  blood  is  not 
our  form  of  sacrifice  to-day,  but  the  pouring  out  of 
life  is  possible  in  many  forms.  Gifts  to  be  really 
Christian  must  be  seized  by  the  spirit  of  love, 
lifted  out  of  the  realm  of  tax  into  the  sphere  of 
service.  Giving  is  in  danger  of  becoming  formal 
and  conventional;  then  it  loses  its  sweetness  and 
power.  When  giving  is  nobly  done,  it  is  a  sweet 
sacrifice,  acceptable  to  the  eternal  God.  The  life 
we  share  with  our  fellowmen  may  rise  to  heaven, 


284  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

as  an  offering  to  our  Father.  Here  we  have  the 
"enthusiasm  of  humanity"  and  the  worship  of 
divinity,  the  love  of  God  and  of  the  neighbor, 
which  is  the  heart  and  essence  of  all  religion. 

3 .  It  is  a  casting  of  seed  into  God's  great  harvest 
field.  Not  for  reward  shall  they  do  this  thing, 
but  it  shall  not  lose  its  reward;  Paul's  final  bene- 
diction upon  it  is ;  "  My  God  shall  supply  all  your 
need."  God  will  care  for  those  who  have  cared  for 
others.  Not  all  our  wants  shall  be  supplied,  for 
many  of  these  are  vain  and  foolish,  but  our  real, 
deep  needs  He  will  supply.  According  to  His  riches 
in  glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  God  will  supply  all  their 
needs.  What  a  tremendous  measure!  What 
promise  of  love,  sympathy,  and  help !  The  power 
and  abundance  of  God's  glorious  riches  is  on  the 
side  of  those  who  trust  in  Him,  and  cherish  the 
spirit  of  generosity.  Your  earthly  plutocracy, 
what  a  wretched  thing  it  is,  breeding  false  ambi- 
tion and  baleful  dishonesty.  Government  by 
riches  that  produce  corruption  is  the  worst  form  of 
government  on  earth.  But  let  us  think  of  what  is 
meant  by  God's  plutocracy,  government  by  wealth 
of  sympathy,  peace  and  joy.  If  we  covet  earn- 
estly the  real  riches,  the  riches  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  we  shall  learn  both  how  to  abound  and  how 
to  suffer  want;  and  we  shall  prove  by  personal 
experience  that  it  is  "better  to  give  than  to 
receive." 


THE   FINAL   SALUTATION 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

THE  FINAL  SALUTATION 

(IV,  21,  23) 

One  more  word  of  kindly  greeting,  one  more 
expression  of  fellowship,  one  more  noble  prayer, 
these  all  woven  into  a  graceful  benediction — and 
Paul  brings  the  brief  letter  to  its  final  close.  If 
we  are  at  all  responsive,  the  gratitude  and  hope- 
fulness that  thrill  his  soul  find  their  way  into  our 
hearts.  We  have  felt  all  through  not  only  the 
genius  and  strength  of  the  man,  but  also  the  free- 
dom and  individuality  which  have  been  quickened 
and  enlarged  by  the  power  of  Christ.  Any  kind 
of  creed  may  narrow  a  man's  mind  if  it  is  held  too 
closely,  any  kind  of  party  may  enslave  a  man;  the 
battle  between  outward  coercion  and  inward  life 
is  ever  present  and  unceasing.  We  are  thankful, 
then,  for  every  life  which  helps  us  to  realize  the 
meaning  of  the  great  saying,  "If  therefore  the  Son 
shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed."  The 
philosopher  may  be  "persuaded  that  the  personal 
relation  to  the  visible  church  to-day  has  a  value 
which  concerns  chiefly  the  man  engaged  in  certain 
practical  philanthropic  tasks,"  and  so  advise  his 
fellow-teachers  to  hold  aloof  from  it.  But  if  many 
men  followed  that  statement  to  its  legitimate  con- 
clusion, the  Church  would  soon  cease  to  be  any- 
287 


288  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

thing  at  all.  Let  us  thank  God  for  the  men  who, 
from  the  time  of  Paul  down  to  our  own  day,  have 
struggled  to  teach  that  the  church  must  compre- 
hend the  highest  thought  as  well  as  the  noblest 
conduct  and  purest  emotion,  and  that  the  "visible 
church"  with  all  its  imperfections  is  an  attempt  to 
embody  the  invisible  ideal.  The  practical  ideal- 
ism of  men  like  Paul  is  a  force  that  the  world  needs 
now  as  much  as  ever.  Any  deep  division  between 
thought  and  life  is  a  thing  against  which  the 
prophets  and  apostles  have  always  fought. 

FRIENDLY   RECOGNITION  AND   KINDLY    GREETING 

Salutation  is  commanded  and  salutations  are 
sent;  the  same  word  occurs  three  times  in  almost 
as  many  lines.  This  may  seem  to  us  to  be  an 
over-exuberant,  gushing  form  of  expression.  We 
of  Western  temperament  are  reserved  as  to  the 
inner  life,  afraid  of  emotion,  we  are  ever  on  our 
guard  against  being  carried  away  by  enthusiasm, 
hence  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  enter  into  this  appeal 
for  demonstrative  fellowship.  It  is  possible 
for  us  to  carry  our  reserve  too  far,  and  so  real, 
spiritual  life  may  lose  something  of  its  strength 
and  beauty  by  being  constantly  checked  and 
repressed.  Expression  is  as  natural  to  this  form 
of  life  as  any  other.  True,  there  is  nothing  more 
offensive  than  to  use  words  of  kindness  and  en- 
dearment when  they  have  become  mere  empty 
forms.  Such  words  as  "saint,"  "brother,"  "expe- 
rience," "testimony,"  "salute,"  must  have  a  real 
meaning  and  a  tender  power,  or  otherwise  they 


THE  FINAL  SALUTATION  289 

will  disgust  the  mind  instead  of  cheering  the 
heart.  To  preserve  the  true  balance  between  life 
and  expression  is  not  an  easy  task.  But  in  our 
appreciation  of  the  words  that  lie  before  us  on  the 
cold  printed  page,  we  must  remember  the  life  that 
long  ago  gave  them  sweetness  and  strength.  The 
people  who  used  them  were  of  a  warm  tempera- 
ment and  hungering  for  rich,  poetic  words  to  give 
form  to  the  intensity  of  their  feeling,  they  were  not 
content  to  think  generous  things  without  expressing 
them.  Their  faith  was  a  new  thing,  their  fellow- 
ship a  sweet  surprise,  and  men  who  had  been  slaves 
and  outcasts  now  felt  themselves  enclosed  in  a 
great  communion,  surrounded  by  a  great  cloud  of 
witnesses.  The  church  was  everything  to  these 
men,  representing  all  that  the  most  varied  social 
life  can  mean  to  us,  and  gathering  into  itself  all 
the  cares,  interests,  and  hopes  of  the  new  disciples. 
It  was  not  a  side  issue  but  the  central  attraction 
of  their  life.  This  word  "salute"  brings  back  ten- 
der memories  from  that  distant  time,  and  suggests 
that  it  might  be  well  if  we  could  maintain  in  pure 
social  forms  a  free,  kindly,  religious  fellowship. 

SAINTS    IN   STRANGE   PLACES 

Life  defies  time  and  space.  These  "saints"  and 
"brothers"  seem  to  speak  to  us  across  the  distant 
centuries,  as  in  their  own  day  they  sent  greeting 
to  each  other  from  lands  that  were  far  apart. 
Refined,  sensitive  people  are  specially  afraid  of 
these  two  words,  and  this  fear  is  not  without  reason, 
and  yet  we  shall  suffer  great  loss  if  we  miss  the 


290  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

realities  that  they  represent.  Saintliness  and 
brotherliness  are  surely  as  much  needed  as  ever 
they  were.  To  Paul  "saint"  was  a  word  for  real 
life  and  common  people,  and  he  does  not  scruple 
to  wear  it  himself  or  to  apply  it  to  imperfect  men 
who  have  been  seized  by  the  heavenly  hope.  We 
can  believe  in  the  saints  of  distant  times  and 
cloistered  places,  but  saints  who  to-day  tread  the 
common  dusty  road  and  glorify  the  lowly  tasks 
we  do  not  so  easily  comprehend.  "Brother,"  as 
the  technical  term  of  a  special  society,  the  watch- 
word of  a  political  party,  or  the  monopoly  of  a 
small  sect,  we  can  either  tolerate  or  despise,  but 
brotherhood,  as  expressing  a  rich  full  life  and  a 
worthy  Christian  fellowship,  we  are  in  danger  of 
losing. 

Paul  found  true  brothers  and  actual  saints  in  the 
most  unlikely  places.  The  truth  can  manifest  its 
power  anywhere;  the  soul  is  not  completely  at  the 
mercy  of  its  surroundings.  Some  faithful  men 
stood  by  the  apostle,  responded  to  his  teachings, 
and  ministered  in  some  measure  to  his  needs. 
"The  saints  in  Caesar's  household"  sent  kindly 
greetings  to  those  who  had  been  redeemed  by  the 
same  love.  If  true  religion  could  nourish  at  Rome 
and  within  range  of  Caesar's  palace,  it  can  grow 
and  manifest  its  power  anywhere.  When  our 
faith  in  the  converting  power  of  the  gospel  is 
growing  feeble,  we  need  to  ponder  Paul's  terrible 
description  of  the  wickedness  against  which  the 
message  of  love  fought  its  first  battles,  and  then 
rejoice  in  the  magnificent  conclusion,  "And  such 
were  some  of  you,  but  ye  were  washed,  but  ye  were 


THE  FINAL  SALUTATION  291 

sanctified,  but  ye  were  justified  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Spirit  of  our  God" 
(I  Cor.  VI,  II). 

"On  the  hard  Roman  world, 
Disgust  and  secret  loathing  fell, 
Deep  weariness  and  sated  lust 
Made  human  life  a  hell." 

There  is  that  in  the  wicked  man,  even  in  the 
cynical  despairing  soul,  which  can  respond  to  the 
story  of  the  Cross  when  that  story  is  told  with 
passionate,  pleading  power  by  one  who  has  found 
in  it  the  way  of  life  and  the  gift  of  peace.  Soldiers 
and  slaves  living  within  the  precincts  of  the  impe- 
rial palace,  yea,  some  of  the  disappointed  schemers 
and  weary  pleasure-seekers  in  its  chambers,  have 
been  captured  and  constrained  by  "another  King, 
one  Jesus,"  and  they  rejoice  to  claim  kinship  with 
all  who  have  been  touched  by  the  same  divine 
power. 

BENEDICTION 

The  true  strong  man  carries  blessings  every 
where  and  breathes  on  all  a  noble  benediction. 
In  one  prison  he  sings  psalms,  in  another  he  creates 
sacred  literature,  in  both  he  shows  that  character 
is  more  than  circumstance  or  ofhce.  Let  us  by  all 
means  acknowledge  the  forces  that  come  to  us 
from  the  past  and  that  stand  around  us  in  the 
present  but  never  in  such  a  way  as  to  forget  the 
power  of  personality. 

Our  benedictions,  priestly  or  otherwise,  are  in 
danger  of  growing  cold  and  helpless.  It  needs  the 
whole  man  to  give  a  benediction.  We  must 
re-think  the  familiar  words  and  breathe  into  them 


292  THE  PHILIPPIAN  GOSPEL 

the  ancient  fire.  This  world  is  often  cold,  and  as 
there  are  in  it  curses  and  contagious  forms  of  evil, 
how  sad  it  will  be  if  the  good  men  lose  power  to 
bless. 

"The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
your  spirit."  These  are  healing,  helpful  words,  if 
we  really  know  their  meaning.  They  speak  to 
us  of  the  greatness  and  the  need  of  our  own  nature, 
and  proclaim  the  presence  and  power  of  the  Christ. 
This  benediction  expresses  the  Christian's  highest 
wish  and  most  earnest  prayer.  It  is  never  out  of 
date,  it  links  itself  with  our  noblest  ideals  and  most 
sacred  associations.  It  does  not  address  itself 
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The  Philippian  gospel; 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00013  9909 


